The Stop Trump coalition has made some audacious moves today by calling for massive demonstrations to oppose Donald Trump’s official state visit to the UK. They’re hoping for participation even bigger than those gargantuan demonstrations of 2019, which drew as many as 250,000 participants. The coalition aims to create a vibrant and defiant atmosphere that celebrates social justice issues while voicing opposition to the former president.
Set for June 2024, Trump’s 2nd state visit looks sure to unleash mass protest and civil disobedience from cross-national community and activist networks. The optimistic mood among the Stop Trump coalition was palpable on the turnout. This last group involves many such organizations as Global Justice Now and the American leftist Indivisibles Movement. They are working to build a broad coalition that includes groups that support Palestine and Ukraine. This national effort aims to promote and fund many social justice causes.
As part of their proposals, the coalition wants approval from London Mayor Sadiq Khan to float anti-Trump blimps over the city. They intend to reintroduce a larger version of the famed Trump baby blimp. In previous protests, this blimp proved to be one of the most powerful and unavoidable symbols of resistance.
“The blimp will be there or something even bigger and better,” said Zoe Gardner, a spokesperson for the coalition. “The blimp itself still exists, but we are thinking we want to take the next step and do something even more exciting.”
The protests will feature this surveillance blimp in addition to large papier-mâché replicas of tech titans. Three of these leaders—Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk—are all on record supporting Trump. A team of performers will dance around in costume as chlorinated chickens. Rosie and Gully’s spirited performance will lampoon the UK’s potential trade agreement with the United States.
Revolutionary love Gardner expressed that the coalition hopes that these protests can be a jubilant celebration of all the things that Trump stands against.
“We want it to be a defiant but joyful celebration of all the things that Trump hates, such as the rights of LGBTQ people, the rights of women, the rights of migrants and refugees, union power, and workers’ rights,” she stated.
The coalition has made its communications a story of fight against the super-rich and their corrosive influence on global politics.
“If we had one strapline it would be ‘Stop Trump and fight the oligarchy.’ We are against empowering the super-rich, including treating Gaza like real estate and chumming up to Putin and the tech billionaires who are looking to the UK for tax breaks,” Gardner added.
The group plans to target tech and business leaders who have backed Trump, hoping for a trade deal that benefits the UK without compromising social justice. Gardner told us he was optimistic about turnout for the protests.
“This time it will be even bigger, uniting campaigners across a huge range of issues. We are confident that the disgust at Donald Trump is just as strong across the country,” she remarked.
Gardner even took the unusual step of rebuking UK Labour Party chief Keir Starmer for what she saw as his craven attitude toward Trump.
“Starmer should be shamed by these demonstrations. The whole country has been embarrassed by his display of rolling over like a pathetic poodle to whatever Trump does,” she stated.
As Nothing About Us organizers get to work planning these demonstrations, they’re looking for creative ideas from their supporters.
“We are looking for anyone who has a fun idea to come forward because we really want to show Trump what we think of him,” Gardner said.