Sawt Falasteen - Windsor prepares for global spotlight with Trump state visit

All were on display just hours before the American president was due to arrive late Tuesday for an unprecedented second UK state visit, with King Charles III to welcome Trump in Windsor, west of London, on Wednesday.

A small group of anti-Trump demonstrators rallied on the town's main street early evening, beneath British and American flags decked out along the road.

Police patrols were ever-present -- the first of numerous layers of security -- with the sound of mounted officers on horseback echoing along cobbled streets.

A stone's throw away, members and invitees of the UK chapter of Republicans Overseas could be seen arriving at the Windsor Guildhall for a celebratory pre-visit dinner and drinks.

Meanwhile, locals tried to go about their business as usual, as the world's media erected small encampments in the shadow of the castle.

"I'm all for it," said Simon Porter, 68, a former music manager, as he headed to the supermarket.

"I don't have a problem with it at all ... I think it attracts more visitors, particularly from America. We need that."

But Joe, from nearby Egham, who declined to give his surname, is "not a fan at all" of Trump.

"He spreads hate and division everywhere he goes," he told AFP, as he sat down for coffee with his elderly mum, who suffers from Alzheimer's.

"It's not disruptive but I'd still rather not have him," the 49-year-old added, delighted to hear protests were planned in Windsor and London.

"Good on them! Let him know he's not wanted ... He's got quite a thin skin -- let's hope he finds out about it."

- Protest stunts -

Windsor and its roughly 32,000 residents are used to having the eyes of the world on the town, and the oldest and largest occupied castle on the planet.

Hundreds of millions watched in 2018 when Prince Harry married Meghan Markle there, while it was the final stop for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral cortege. The late monarch's remains lie in a crypt in St George's Chapel within Windsor Castle.

In July, Charles hosted French President Emmanuel Macron for a state visit there. Buckingham Palace, which usually hosts world leaders on state visits, is currently undergoing refurbishments.

Some local businesses said they usually see a boost when big royal or diplomatic events come to town.

But the security, and ensuing disruption, that comes with a US presidential visit had left some downbeat.

"Last time, the state visit with France, it was busy, but this time is totally different," said Amber Taz, 43, whose cafe sits on the main street.

"We were expecting more people," she said of Tuesday's business. "Fingers crossed -- you never know," she added for Wednesday.

Trump's unpopularity in Britain was reflected in a number of stunts staged in Windsor ahead of his arrival.

An anti-Trump campaign group briefly unveiled Monday what it branded the world’s biggest photo of the US leader and US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein outside the castle.

Nearly 2,000 people donated more than £30,000 to fund the 400-square-metre banner following a "ruin Trump’s UK visit with this Epstein photo" crowdfunding appeal.

It only remained up for around half an hour before police ordered it be taken down, organisers told AFP.

Meanwhile, climate change campaigners unfurled a banner with a picture of Trump reading "Climate criminal. War criminal. The only place he's welcome is The Hague," inside the castle's grounds Sunday.

Oliver Khan, 78, a semi-retired teacher from Richmond, west London, staged a one-man protest Tuesday afternoon, holding aloft a "climate outlaw" sign near the castle.

"I just wanted to make my point," he told AFP.

"Donald Trump wants to 'drill, baby, drill' for more oil, more gas, accelerate the problem, bring a demise to human life on this planet.

"We shouldn't allow him to do this. He's endangering our lives," he said.

I.Saadi--SF-PST