‘Now more than ever its important that we present and secure the socialist alternative’  Gemma Weir

As it emerged that Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness had assured Donald Trump of a ‘warm welcome’ in Northern Ireland several hundred people gathered in the cold outside the US Consulate in Belfast to protest against his immigration ban.

The messages tonight were the same as those delivered in cities across the world in recent days.

Tonight it was Belfast’s turn to say ‘No to Trump, No to Racism and No to a ban on immigrants and refugees’

Among the demonstrators was Gemma Weir the Party’s North Belfast candidate in next months Assembly Elections.

“It is really heartening to see so many people expressing their opposition to this new American nationalism and the effects it is having world wide.”, Gemma said.

“We need to remind ourselves that ‘Trumpism‘ is anything but an American phenomenon’ she said. “Across Europe , in France, German and The Netherlands, we are seeing the chilling rise of a  virulent form of right wing nationalism and of course closer to home we have the rampant and racist nationalism of UKIP and others”.

“Is it really any wonder that our homegrown nationalists the DUP and Sinn Fein were so  keen to give Donald Trump a ‘warm welcome’ – they obviously recognise themselves in his narrow mindedness and bigotry’ Gemma observed.

“Now more than ever, it is important to present and secure the socialist alternative, prioritse public need over private greed and re-affirm the primacy of humanity”, concluded Gemma