About 200 protesters have gathered at Giles Circus in the heart of Ipswich to protest at the policies of new US President Donald Trump.

They were particularly angered by his ban on refugees from seven countries with a majority Muslim population – but his plans for a wall along the border with Mexico and his views on women also attracted anger.

The protest was organised by Ipswich Labour councillor Shelly Darwin, but it was supported by people from across the political spectrum.

Ms Darwin said: “It is very important to show the message that is coming out from the US President is rejected – and I think it is important to give people the chance come together to express their opposition to what he is doing.

“We are talking about being on the right side of history and I think it is important we take the opportunity to show how we feel.”

She told the crowd: “We stand together today to say. We see you Donald for what you are; we see your racism, your Islamophobia, your misogyny and your lack of respect. We see you spreading hatred and we will not accept it.

“Now this is global and is bigger than party politics but I’ve been heartened to see my party, the Labour Party has been clear and strong on standing with the more than 1.8million people who oppose an official state visit by Trump.

“We urge Theresa May to search within herself and her government to find the moral fortitude to do the same.”

Among those at the protest was 74-year-old Kevin Mayhew and his wife Barbara who had come to Ipswich from Bury St Edmunds to take part.

He said: “I was not alive in the 1930s but I’ve studied my history of that time and seen how Hitler used a democratic election to come to power and I think it is important that we let people know that we don’t approve of what is happening now.”

There have been a number of protests against the new president around the country – one of the main demands is that the invitation to him to come on a state visit later this year is withdrawn.

There will be a parliamentary debate on this later this month after 1.8m people signed a petition calling for its withdrawal. A further 300,000 signed a petition welcoming his state visit.