This Is Why The Downing Street Trump Protest Needs To Happen

29 January 2017, 13:48 | Updated: 30 January 2017, 16:51

Maajid On Trump Protest

A protest is set to take place outside Downing Street tonight. Here the organiser, Owen Jones, spoke to Maajid Nawaz about why it is needed now.

The protest will take place at 6pm today, following Trump's decision to ban people from seven mainly Muslim countries from entering the US. 

The organiser, Owen Jones, told Maajid why it needs to happen. 

He said: "Throughout history, we've all looked back...at huge injustice. And we look back and ask 'what did people do? Did they speak out? Or did they remain silent?'.

"We damn people often for their complicity for not speaking out at moments of great injustice. This is one of those moments. This is a historic moment, historic in the worst possible sense of that word, and I think now, people from a whole range of political persuasions, whether you be on the left or the right, need to speak out on the basis of human decency, against injustice. 

"Against an administration where I am afraid this is going to be a slippery slope. This is only the beginning."

The Guardian columnist then went on to criticise the PM's stance on the ban. He said: "I might disagree with someone about the rate of tax on people at the top income earners. 

"I might disagree with people on how we run the National Health Service. There's a difference between disagreeing on policy issues and grave injustices, such as the targeting of people from countries in the way that Donald Trump has done. 

"Now Theresa May went, with huge jubilance and made it a big triumphant moment, to meet Donald Trump. Infamously holding hands with the new President of the United States. 

"He drew up this law...on Holocaust memorial day. So Theresa May, to fail to speak out. Not just a 'says she disagrees' belatedly, and only when she came under huge pressure, but to fail to passionately defend the rights of her own citizens...her own members of parliament...is shameful." 

The 90-day ban also affects those who have dual-citizenship, such as Mo Farah.

Here Owen Jones gives his reaction to Mo's statement on the subject.

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