England Warmly Welcomes Donald Trump with Tens of Thousands of Pissed-Off Protesters

Donald Trump has not been trying particularly hard to get anyone in the U.K. to like him. He's been insulting London mayor Sadiq Khan for months. In January, he whined about the costs of a new U.S. embassy. He met with Prime Minister Theresa May almost immediately after bashing her in the press. And his prolonged campaign against immigrants and his pro-cages-for-children policies have gone a long way toward infuriating people in Britain, just as in the U.S. Trump had already canceled a trip earlier in the year, and it's widely thought that he did so to avoid the massive protests that would follow him. And even once he finally made the trip, Trump managed to avoid London, meeting with May and Queen Elizabeth II outside of the city. But Trump couldn't escape the demonstrators even when he fled to his golf course in Scotland. Local authorities estimate that thousands of people turned out to protest in both Edinburgh and Glasgow, and a paraglider was even arrested after unfurling an anti-Trump banner over his Turnberry golf resort. But the real scene was in London, where tens of thousands came out to demonstrate against Trump's visit and May's gracious welcome to him. The most recognizable symbol, even before Trump landed, was a massive balloon version of the president in a baby's diaper, which, in a wonderful bit of irony, had to be approved by the same London mayor Trump repeatedly called soft on terrorism. To Trump's credit, he did inspire a smaller counter-protest, a "Welcome Trump" rally that was joined by right-wing and anti-Muslim groups. (At least two people were arrested at the counter-protest over the weekend.) For a better look at the revulsion and snarky signs that Trump inspired across the Atlantic, GQ sent photographer Harry Mitchell to London. There he got an up-close look at the protests, both pro- and anti-Trump, and at the people willing to take to the streets.

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