An anti-racism march is being held in London today by Stand Up to Racism to defend EU nationals’ rights and protest Trump’s ban
Thousands are expected to take part in today’s anti-racism march in the capital to mark UN Anti-Racism Day and campaign for EU workers in the UK and against the “toxic scapegoating of migrants”.
Organisers Stand Up to Racism said: “As Theresa May prepares to trigger Article 50 with ‘hard Brexit’ while contributing to the toxic scapegoating of migrants, let’s send a powerful anti-racism message.”
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Among the causes the march is set to protest are President Trump’s controversial travel ban, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, and the lack of reassurance over rights of EU nationals in the UK.
The march starts at 12pm at Portland Place and the group will then march to Parliament Square for a rally at 2pm. Others will be held in Glasgow and Cardiff.
Here's the route today's march will take:
The route of the London march today (Source: Stand Up to Racism)
Over four thousand people have clicked attending on the event’s Facebook page with over eight thousand others interested in taking part.
The campaigners said they want to make sure the triggering of Article 50, which Theresa May has proposed to do by the end of the month, is “not an excuse to scapegoat migrants”.
Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban is also being protested; his newest version placed a 90-day ban on people from six predominantly Muslim nations and a longer ban on refugees. Judges in Maryland and Hawaii have questioned its legality.
Last month, the capital was one of many cities to hold marches against Trump's first travel ban which halted the US refugee programme and banned anyone from seven Muslim majority countries (Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Syria and Libya), from travelling to the country.
MPs have clashed over whether the President should be given a state visit, after a Westminster debate was held last month, triggered by two petitions. One was against a state visit which received 1.85m signatures and one in favour which received 311,000.
Foreign office minister Sir Alan Duncan responded to the debate for the government saying: "We believe it is absolutely right that we should use all the tools at our disposal to build common ground with President Trump. The visit should happen. The visit will happen."
Read more: Trump's second travel ban has been blocked