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Trump UK visit: Protesters shout 'Nazi scum' at rival group in Portsmouth as president arrives for D-Day landings anniversary

Demonstrators holding placards emblazoned with 'Dump Trump, fight bigotry' come face-to-face with right-wing activists

Tom Batchelor
Wednesday 05 June 2019 08:17 EDT
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Pro and anti-Trump protesters clash in Portsmouth

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Pro and anti-Trump protesters have clashed for a third day as commemorations to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings got underway in Portsmouth.

Demonstrators chanting “Nazi scum get off our streets” and holding placards emblazoned with “Dump Trump, fight bigotry” came face-to-face with right-wing activists shouting “Donald Trump is welcome here”.

The pro-Trump group appeared to consist of around 30 people, some of whom were wrapped in the US flag, while others carried a Portsmouth Football Club flag with the words “Lest we forget” written along the top.

Organisers of the anti-Trump rally said their demonstration would number in the hundreds but was largely a “local protest”, without activists bussed in from other parts of the country.

They could be heard shouting “Tories out” as the two groups met. Police formed a cordon but there did not appear to be any physical confrontation.

One of the pro-Trump group was filmed pointing at the rival protesters before saying “we will be back later”.

The Trump baby blimp will also feature during the president’s visit to Portsmouth after a campaign group which "hacks" advertising boards plastered images of the balloon to bus shelters in the city.

Mr Trump has played down the scale of protests during his visit, describing the thousands of people who demonstrated in London as a "small protest” and suggesting many more were out to support him.

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