London protests 'organised flops': Trump

Despite clear evidence to the contrary, US President Donald Trump says the crowds gathered in London were in support of him, not protesting.

The protesters in central London

Protesters have rallied around a giant effigy of Donald Trump tweeting while sitting on a toilet. (AAP)

Donald Trump has dismissed protests against his visit to the UK as "organised flops", saying that the larger crowds were made up of his supporters.

The statement, made in an early morning tweet on Wednesday, came after thousands of protesters took to London's streets on Tuesday, the second day of the US President's state visit.

He tweeted: "I kept hearing that there would be 'massive' rallies against me in the UK, but it was quite the opposite.

"The big crowds, which the Corrupt Media hates to show, were those that gathered in support of the USA and me.

"They were big & enthusiastic as opposed to the organized flops!"

According to The Trump Babysitters group, tens of thousands of protesters were involved in demonstrations against the president on Tuesday - fewer than an estimated 250,000 who gathered when the US leader visited the UK on July 13 last year - while a Trump supporter admitted they were "a minority".

Other protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square before marching to Whitehall, with sellers of toilet paper with Mr Trump's face printed on it and a five-metre talking robot of Mr Trump sitting on a gold toilet becoming a focal point for onlookers.

Supporters of Mr Trump also took to the streets.

"I'm obviously going to be a minority today," said Trump supporter Lewis Metcalfe, 28, who was in Parliament Square wearing a Make America Great Again cap.

"I don't agree with all his policies. He's not the greatest president in the world but he does get things done."

There were a number of clashes between pro and anti-Trump groups throughout the day.

One Trump supporter was surrounded by an angry group of protesters shouting "Nazi" in Parliament Square, with video footage posted on social media showing a milkshake being thrown at him before a scuffle broke out.

Further protests against Mr Trump are planned in Ireland, where the president is set to arrive on Wednesday afternoon.

A demonstration by the Stop Trump Ireland coalition is planned in Dublin on Thursday at the Garden of Remembrance.


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Published 5 June 2019 6:02pm
Source: AAP


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