Shropshire parish councillor backs petition to stop Donald Trump's state visit
A Shropshire parish councillor is backing a petition to stop an official state visit by US president Donald Trump.
More than 1.5 million people signed the petition asking Government to cancel plans to allow Trump to meet the Queen because "it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty."
Councillor Usman Ahmed, who represents Leegomery on Hadley and Leegomery Parish Council, said the right to protest people in power was one of the things that made the UK great.
The 24-year-old is the youngest Muslim councillor in Shropshire and has been on the town council since 2015.
He said: "I've signed the petition – there's a limit to the special relationship.
"The petition calls for him to be limited in his visits here until he removes the US ban on travel. It's not indefinite.
"We can't support racist bigots who just generalise everybody.
"Unfortunately Theresa May isn't going to even consider it. What kind of message is that sending?"
Thousands of people around Shropshire took the time to sign the petition when it went viral on social media earlier this week.
Councillor Ahmed said: "I think one of the great things about this country is the right to protest. People are making their voices heard."
