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US embassy warns Americans in London to 'keep a low profile' during Trump visit US embassy warns Americans in London to 'keep a low profile' during Trump visit
(about 2 hours later)
The US embassy in London has warned Americans in the British capital to keep a low profile during Donald Trump’s visit later this week in case protests against him turn violent. Americans in the UK have been warned to “keep a low profile” during this week’s visit of their president, Donald Trump, as the US embassy in London says demonstrations against the event could turn violent.
Trump arrives in Britain on Thursday after a Nato summit, and thousands of protesters are expected to join demonstrations during his visit, including plans to fly a blimp over parliament portraying Trump as an orange baby. On Tuesday, officials said the demonstrations would probably be focused on the centre of the UK capital, despite the fact that Trump is spending only a short time there, but added others had also been planned over the three days from Wednesday.
Although Britain regards the United States as one of its closest allies, many Britons see Trump as crude and opposed to their values on a range of issues. His comments on militant attacks in Britain and his re-tweeting of anti-Muslim videos posted by a leader of a far-right UK party sparked anger. “Be aware of your surroundings [and] exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings that may become violent,” the US embassy warned.
More than 50,000 people have signed up to demonstrate in London on Friday against his visit although a counter-gathering to welcome him is also planned. The warning comes after it emerged that the UK police mobilisation for Trump’s visit would be the largest since the 2011 English riots.
“Numerous demonstrations are being planned for July 12 to 14 2018, surrounding the visit of the president of the United States to the United Kingdom,” the US embassy said in the alert on its website. Officers will be moved around the country to protect the US president, with those in regions Trump is not visiting giving assistance to the services in those he is. Its scale is such that some police chiefs have expressed concerns they will not have enough resources for their usual local policing duties.
“Several of the events are expected to attract large crowds and there will be road closures in connection with those events.“ “With the hot weather, if anything kicks off, we are struggling. They cut the officers in the urban areas [biggest forces] and now they need them,” one told the Guardian on Monday. Firearms officers, armed counter-terrorism units, public order officers and dog handlers are all part of the deployment.
Its advice to US citizens was to “keep a low profile” and “exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings that may become violent”. In their warning on Tuesday, the embassy told American citizens to expect the largest demonstration in central London on Friday 13 July, when organisers hope tens of thousands of people will be on the streets. A “Trump baby” balloon is also due to fly over central London that morning.
Trump arrives in Britain on Thursday after the Nato summit in Belgium and will stay overnight at the central London residence of the US ambassador where a high metal security fence was erected outside. US officials in London added that, besides keeping their heads down, people should also keep an eye on local media and heed any police advice. “Several of the events are expected to attract large crowds and there will be road closures in connection with those events,” they said.
Other planned demonstrations on Thursday include one near Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, where Trump will attend a black-tie dinner, and another near the US ambassador’s residence in London, where Trump and his wife Melania will stay overnight and where a high metal fence has been erected. Gatherings are also due to take place in Bristol, Newcastle, Leeds, Cambridge and Cardiff on Thursday evening.
Protesters have been invited to go to Chequers, where Trump and the prime minister, Theresa May, plan to hold a working lunch, while organisers said protesters were due to travel to London for a rally at Trafalgar Square on Friday. With Trump planning to travel to Scotland on Friday evening after meeting the Queen at Windsor Castle, a rally is also planned for Glasgow’s George Square.
A further protest will be held outside the US president’s Scottish golf courses on Saturday, while a national demonstration is planned at the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh the same day.
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