Hundreds of people gathered in central London to march against racism amid debate about the place of migrants in Britain after its exit from the European Union.
Protesters carrying brightly coloured placards gathered outside the BBC offices in Portland Place, near Oxford Street, shortly after noon on Saturday.
They marched to Parliament Square, where guest speakers included former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Mozzam Begg and shadow attorney general Shami Chakrabarti.
Thousands of protesters have made it to Parliament Sq on today's #MarchAgainstRacism pic.twitter.com/92zImzbCL2
— Peter Cary (@PeterCary1) March 18, 2017
The event, organised by campaign group Stand Up To Racism, saw protesters of all ages take to the streets, with children scrawling “Stand up to racism” on the pavements in coloured chalk.
Lindsey German, convenor of the Stop The War Coalition, drew boos from the crowd with a mention of former chancellor George Osborne, who was announced as the new editor of London newspaper the Evening Standard on Friday.
A mention of @George_Osborne draws boos from the crowd after being named editor of the London Evening Standard on Friday #StandUpToRacism pic.twitter.com/2UHcI6tVct
— Peter Cary (@PeterCary1) March 18, 2017
She criticised the paper’s “vicious” campaign against Sadiq Khan in the London mayoral election last year, and said Osborne should not take the job.She said: “He is a disgrace, and he shouldn’t be allowed to do this.”
I'm outside the BBC offices in London's Portland Place, where hundreds of protesters have gathered to #MarchAgainstRacism to Parliament Sq pic.twitter.com/AlY0wTqdov
— Peter Cary (@PeterCary1) March 18, 2017
Ether Onatskaia, 17, a Cambridge sixth form student who is originally from New York, said: “I think racism is a problem in the US and UK and we need to speak out against it.“I feel like, because I’m white, I’m not so affected by it, so I need to make a stand.”
As the crowds began the march down Regent Street, small groups led the chant “Say it loud and say it clear, refugees are welcome here”, while drumming groups beat out a rhythm behind them.
30,000 out saying stand up to racism in parliament sq #MarchAgainstRacism pic.twitter.com/MFDndt12QF
— Stand Up To Racism (@AntiRacismDay) March 18, 2017
The march came after a series of demonstrations against hatred of migrants and the presidency of Donald Trump in February.
Things are getting lively on the #MarchAgainstRacism on Regent Street pic.twitter.com/0CcfsrH6AS
— Peter Cary (@PeterCary1) March 18, 2017
Gerry Ford, 61, from Islington, who carried a placard through Piccadilly Circus, said she believes the decision to break from the European Union had been driven by racism.She said: “This is a racist issue. People don’t realise it, but it is.”
