The Lord Mayor of Sheffield has “banned” Donald Trump from his city ahead of the US President’s visit to the UK next week.
Magid Magid made his feelings on the event crystal clear, branding Trump a “wasteman” – slang for someone lacking maturity and achieving little with their lives.
“I Magid Magid, lord mayor & first citizen of this city hereby declare that not only is Donald J Trump a WASTEMAN, but he is also henceforth banned from the great city of Sheffield!” Magid wrote on Twitter
The 28-year-old Somali refugee was elevated to the office in May, becoming the youngest ever person to hold the job in Sheffield, and made it clear he intended to shake up the world of politics.
His tweet, in which he declared the date of Trump’s visit – July 13 – “Mexico Solidarity Day” was shared thousands of times.
It also included a picture of Magid inside the council chamber at Sheffield, wearing a traditional Mexican sombrero, ceremonial chains and a T-shirt bearing the slogan “Donald Trump is a wasteman”.
The Green Party politician went on to list the reasons for his opposition to the US President, including his Muslim travel ban and withdrawal from the Paris climate change agreement.
He urged people to join demonstrations against the visit, in which Trump will meet the Queen, as well as Prime Minister Theresa May.
Magid reportedly told councillors: “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.
“I am proud to be the Lord Mayor of a city where there is an amazingly culture of diversity. Where we don’t tolerate racism and xenophobia; where we not only celebrate all our differences but also unite on the things we have in common.
“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 then invited a group of Mexican residents present at the meeting to perform traditional dances.
Magid came to the Brexit-backing northern city with his mum and five siblings in 1994 when he was just five, having fled war-torn Somalia and spent six months in an Ethiopian refugee camp.
He did not speak a word of English when he started school, but went on to study zoology at Hull University, where he was voted student union president.