US marks MLK day by criticising Trump and vowing to fight racism
Americans remembered civil rights hero Martin Luther King on Monday. It comes a day after US President Donald Trump denied he's a racist amid an uproar over a reported presidential slur.
At gatherings across the nation, activists, residents and teachers honored the late Martin Luther King. January 15, 2018
Martin Luther King Jr.'s children and the pastor of an Atlanta church where he preached decried disparaging remarks President Donald Trump is said to have made about African countries, while protests between Haitian immigrants and Trump supporters broke out near the president's Florida resort Monday, the official federal holiday honouring King.
At gatherings across the nation, activists, residents and teachers honoured the late civil rights leader on what would have been his 89th birthday and ahead of the 50th anniversary of his assassination in Memphis, Tennessee.
US President Donald Trump was quoted as calling African nations and Haiti "shithole countries," setting off a storm of condemnation that threatened to derail a bipartisan compromise on immigration. January 15, 2017
Trump marked his first Martin Luther King Jr. Day as president buffeted by claims that during a meeting with senators on immigration last week, he used a vulgarity to describe African countries and questioned the need to allow more Haitians into the US. He also is said to have asked why the country couldn't have more immigrants from nations like Norway.
In Washington, King's eldest son, Martin Luther King III, criticised Trump, saying, "When a president insists that our nation needs more citizens from white states like Norway, I don't even think we need to spend any time even talking about what it says and what it is."
He added, "We got to find a way to work on this man's heart."
Across the country activists, politicians and citizens alike are reacting to recent comments made by President Donald Trump that appeared to denigrate both Haiti and African nations during a meeting on immigration. January 15, 2018
In Atlanta, King's daughter, the Reverend Bernice King, told hundreds of people who packed the pews of the Ebenezer Baptist Church that they "cannot allow the nations of the world to embrace the words that come from our president as a reflection of the true spirit of America."
"We are one people, one nation, one blood, one destiny. ... All of civilization and humanity originated from the soils of Africa," Bernice King said. "Our collective voice in this hour must always be louder than the one who sometimes does not reflect the legacy of my father."
Church pastor the Reverend Raphael Warnock also took issue with Trump's campaign slogan to "Make America Great Again."
Warnock said he thinks America "is already great ... in large measure because of Africa and African people."
Trump’s comments were decried as racist by African and Haitian politicians, by the United Nations human rights office and by US lawmakers from both major parties. January 15, 2018
Down the street from Trump's Mar-a-Lago retreat in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday, Haitian protesters and Trump supporters yelled at each other from opposing corners.
Trump was staying at the resort for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.
Video posted by WPEC-TV showed several hundred pro-Haiti demonstrators yelling from one side of the street Monday while waving Haitian flags.
The Haitians and their supporters shouted "Our country is not a shithole," referring to comments the president reportedly made. Trump has said that is not the language he used.
The smaller pro-Trump contingent waved American flags and campaign posters and yelled "Trump is making America great again."
One man could be seen telling the Haitians to leave the country. Police kept the sides apart.
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