Anti-Trump protesters to be kept away from Downing Street

Met police insist on closing off section of Whitehall while US president meets Theresa May

Dan Sabbagh
Fri 31 May 2019 17.12 BST First published on Fri 31 May 2019 16.23 BST

Anti-Donald Trump protesters will be prevented from marching in front of Downing Street after police said the southern part of Whitehall should be completely closed off while the US president is meeting Theresa May.

Instead, a rally will be held nearby close to the women’s war memorial in front of a security barrier, at lunchtime on Tuesday. Protesters will then have to travel via Embankment to reach Parliament Square in the afternoon.

“There’s no way they would do this for any other leader,” said Michael Chessum, an organiser of the Together Against Trump event. “We’ve got the US secret service dictating what Londoners can and can’t do.”

Speakers at the lunchtime rally were still in the process of being finalised on Friday, but are scheduled to include Frances O’Grady, the TUC general secretary, and Caroline Lucas, the Green party MP, as well as members of the leftwing anti-Brexit group Another Europe is Possible.

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