After the far right's march on our streets, Londoners must show Trump we reject his politics of fear | Sadiq Khan

"Something in our country changed at the weekend. Like cities across the UK, London has seen protests organised by the far right before, but this felt different. Over 100,000 people filled the capital. Tens of thousands of them marched peacefully. But some violently attacked the police officers tasked with keeping Londoners safe. Elon Musk tried to rally protesters against our democracy, telling them to fight back or you die."

"For far too long, our politicians and pundits have refused to condemn the rising tide of hatred in this country, instead choosing to dabble in dog-whistle politics and dangerous rhetoric themselves. Now, this toxic form of politics is spilling out on to our streets. Many minority Londoners have expressed fear and millions more in the capital and across the country are horrified."

"When he came to the UK on his first state visit, I highlighted how the president had deliberately used xenophobia, racism and otherness as an electoral tactic, introducing a travel ban on a number of Muslim-majority countries and praising white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia. Six years later, the tactics we see from today's White House seem no different. Scapegoating minorities, illegally deporting US citizens, deploying the military to the streets of diverse cities."

Massive far-right gatherings in London attracted over 100,000 people, with tens of thousands peaceful but some participants violently attacking police. Influential figures encouraged protesters to resist democratic institutions, while long-standing political dog-whistle tactics and dangerous rhetoric have contributed to a rising tide of hatred. Toxic political currents are spilling into public streets, leaving many minority Londoners fearful and millions across the country horrified. Silence from leaders is no longer sufficient; unified opposition is required to confront reactionary populists and nativists exploiting economic anxieties, social atomisation, and distrust in institutions. Similar tactics have spread across Europe and been amplified by figures in the US.

Read at www.theguardian.com