Cardiff Amnesty joined a large crowd of fellow activists in Cardiff City Centre on Thursday afternoon in opposition to the divisive politics of Donald Trump. Like many other people across the UK, Amnesty members are alarmed by the views of a president who in just 18 months has encouraged a deeply disturbing human rights roll-back – including a discriminatory travel ban, reckless announcements on Jerusalem, and harmful policies on refugees, women’s rights and climate change.
Since his election, Mr Trump has shown impatience bordering on intolerance toward peaceful protests and the free media. Alongside tens of thousands of other people across the UK, the citizens of Cardiff took the opportunity on the 12th July to underline the importance of free speech and the right to peaceful demonstration.
Speaker after speaker lined up to condemn Donald Trump’s actions on a range of polices from women’s and LGBT rights to the American withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council. The placards said it all: “Make Racism Wrong Again”, “Resist Trump” and “We Stand Together”. Messages of support were read aloud from sister demonstrations in Swansea and outside the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.
The word “solidarity” was on everyone’s lips as the people of Wales united to voice their concerns, not just about the man now occupying the White House, but what “Trumpism” represents. Ugly populism is a danger to the democratic order and those who call for an internationalist and incisive politics are united in their opposition.
Now is not the time to stand on the sidelines and watch. Now is the time to act. It won’t be easy and it won’t be quick, but Amnesty International needs your support more than ever in the coming years to fight back against the discrimination and bigotry we’ve seen from the Trump administration so far.
You can learn more about the Amnesty International’s position on Donald Trump clicking here.
AmnestyCardiff.org 