Photographs from the Donald Trump protest in London

Protesters against Donald Trump in London on Friday 13 July. Photograph: PA/Victoria Jones. - Credit: PA

More than 100,000 protesters have swarmed the streets of central London on a Friday afternoon to protest during Donald Trump’s first visit to the UK as US president.

Organisers of the Together Against Trump mass demonstration claimed they had been told by police that more than 100,000 protesters had joined the march by mid-afternoon.

While the US leader described the relationship between his country and the UK as being at ‘the highest level of special’ following a working lunch at Chequers with Theresa May, protesters in the capital chanted: ‘Donald Trump’s not welcome here’.

Aerial views showed densely packed crowds gathered at Portland Place and filling Oxford Street and Regent Street ahead of a rally at Trafalgar Square.

The Metropolitan Police said they would not give an estimate of numbers in attendance, but MPS Events tweeted that such was the scale of the crowd that stallholders in Trafalgar Square had been asked to take down their stands ‘to maximise the space available’.

Protesters against Donald Trump in London on Friday 13 July. Photograph: PA/John Stilwell. – Credit: PA

Celebrities including Stephen Fry and James Bond actress Samantha Bond tweeted their support for those marching, while Downton Abbey actress Laura Carmichael joined crowds.

Politicians including former deputy prime minister Sir Nick Clegg and ex-Labour leader Ed Miliband said they would be taking part in the protests.

The day of demonstrations began with a giant baby blimp caricature of an angry Trump being flown in Parliament Square.

While the president did not personally witness the blimp’s flight, he did say it had made him ‘feel unwelcome’ in London.

Protesters against Donald Trump in London on Friday 13 July. Photograph: PA/John Stillwell. – Credit: PA

The Together Against Trump march followed the Women’s March earlier on Friday afternoon, during which pots and pans were bashed and chanting erupted from the crowd against a backdrop of drumming and cheering.

Immigration, the treatment of refugee women, equal rights for women and people of different sexes were among the topics raised and organisers of that demo said more than 80,000 people had turned out.

Scotland Yard said there had been no arrests by 3.30pm at the women’s march.

Explaining why he was marching against Trump, Ed Miliband tweeted: ‘His racism, misogyny, attacks on democratic values seek to legitimise an authoritarian politics that is profoundly dangerous and threatening to our societies.’