By Irene Escudero
Windsor, UK, Sep 17 (EFE).- Supporters and critics of Donald Trump gathered outside Windsor Castle on Wednesday, hoping to glimpse the US president during his second state visit to the United Kingdom, but the thick walls and heavy security kept them at bay.
Among the small crowd was Joseph Afrane, who recalled being acknowledged by Trump during his 2019 visit to Buckingham Palace.
This time, dressed in a tailored suit and hat adorned with US and British flags, he left disappointed.
“This is a historic event. The United States is a good partner, and Trump is going to bring us business. It’s good for both countries,” said the self-described “patriot,” whose eye-catching outfit drew more attention from journalists than fellow supporters.
Early on, there were more cameras than onlookers at the castle gates, though by midday the main street filled with people under Union Jacks and Stars and Stripes.
Hazel Pearson, wearing a red “Make America Great Again” cap, arrived with her daughter from Northern Ireland.
“He’s doing a fantastic job in the US, and I wish we had him as our leader here,” Pearson told EFE.
But alongside the red caps and flags, dissenters made their presence felt.
A giant projection of Trump and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein lit up the castle walls, while artist Kaya Mar held up a satirical painting of Trump as a caveman carrying King Charles III on his back.
“Trump is a Stone Age narcissist with no protocol who takes over everything,” Mar told EFE.
Tracy Cadas, 61, held a lone hand-painted banner. “Trump, go away, you vile, sordid little man.” From Washington in northeast England, she said this was her first protest.
“One person shouldn’t have that much power. Every time he opens his mouth, the security of the world falters.”
Mixed in were curious tourists like Michelle Beeston, who had toured Windsor earlier in the week but returned in hopes of catching a glimpse of the president or the royal family.
Instead, like most, she only saw Marine One overhead and heard the distant roar of a 41-gun salute.
Hidden behind the castle walls, Trump was greeted by King Charles III with Britain’s grandest military ceremony in decades.
But outside, under a leaden sky, the spectacle was reduced to muffled echoes, leaving supporters, critics, and onlookers alike with little more than the symbolism of being there. EFE
ime-sk