The mayor of a major British city is mincing no words in expressing his feelings about U.S. President Donald Trump’s impending visit to the United Kingdom. Sheffield Lord Mayor Magid Magid said this week that Trump is “banned” from entering his city, and declared July 13 — the day the president is due to arrive in the U.K. for his state visit — as “Mexico Solidarity Day.”
Magid, whose official designation is “Lord Mayor,” which is a ceremonial title given to mayors of some major U.K. cities, announced his decision during a Sheffield City Council meeting on Wednesday.
Magid wore a sombrero “in solidarity” with Mexico, the BBC reported. He was also wearing ceremonial mayoral chains and a black T-shirt that read “Donald Trump is a wasteman,” a slang term that refers to someone who lacks merit and maturity.
According to The Star, the mayor invited members of Sheffield’s Mexican community to perform traditional dances during the meeting.
As the BBC noted, Magid does not have the power to ban someone from Sheffield, one of the U.K.’s largest cities with a population of about 570,000.
The city council said, however, that they could “through a collective, democratic debate and process, agree to condemn the views of an individual or organization.”
It’s unlikely that Trump will visit Sheffield during his upcoming U.K. trip. He’ll be flying into the U.K. and he’s expected to meet the Queen and Prime Minister Theresa May. Trump may then visit Scotland to play golf at one of the golf courses he owns in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire.
In a series of Wednesday tweets, Magid, a former Somali refugee who arrived in the U.K. at the age of 5, explained why he believes Trump is a “wasteman.” He also encouraged people to join demonstrations against Trump (tens of thousands of people are reportedly planning to protest the president’s visit) and urged Britons to lobby their local representatives “to take a vocal stand” against him.
Magid was elected Sheffield’s lord mayor in May — to the delight of many residents, but also to the consternation of some who view him as an outsider. At 28, Magid is the youngest person to ever hold the post.
“In this current climate of politics where fear and hate is widespread, the last thing we need is a world leader like Donald J. Trump being a spurting cesspit of hate, stoking divisions between communities while scapegoating minorities,” Magid said at Wednesday’s council meeting, according to The Star.
“We need now more than ever to come together in spite of our differences and empower everyone in our society and collectively work towards building a future where love and tolerance prevail, and where everybody belongs,” he added.