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Trump’s travel ban tarnished US image worldwide: Activist

Saturday, 04 February 2017 4:44 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 04 February 2017 4:45 PM ]

Several hundred demonstrators protest President Donald Trump's executive order which imposes a freeze on admitting refugees into the United States and a ban on travel from seven Muslim-majority countries at the international terminal at O'Hare Airport on February 1, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by AFP)

A US federal judge in Seattle, Washington, has ordered a temporary, nationwide halt to President Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban that blocks the entry of citizens from seven predominately Muslim countries. However, the White House quickly defended the travel ban as “lawful and appropriate” and said the US Justice Department would appeal to stop the judge's order from taking effect.

Massoud Shadjareh, head of the Islamic Human Rights Commission in London, believes Trump’s travel ban has heavily tarnished US image worldwide.

“I think the damage is very visible, extremely visible, both inside and outside the United States. It is unprecedented such opposition to such (an) order. Really we see both within the United States and outside demonstrations which really I have not seen since Vietnam War and if anything, as I remember the Vietnam War and the demonstration, this is much greater and indeed it is taking [place] right across the universe,” the activist told Press TV in an interview on Saturday.

However, he said, what is really astonishing is the fact that Trump is still insisting on continuing his “divisive policies” which are going to be very harmful in the long-term.

He further asserted that Trump is “riding the wave of Islamophobia and prejudice” which is deep-rooted in the United States.

Shadjareh also opined that it is really “bizarre” for a head of a state to behave in such an “illogical” and “prejudicial” manner.

He also emphasized that everyone is aware that not a single act of terrorism was committed by members of any of these seven nations in the United States and as a matter of fact terrorism comes from different sources.

The activist further said “many people felt that once Trump comes to power, he will change his ways but unfortunately he seems to be continuing the same policies which are prejudicial, divisive, and illegal as the judge has decreed”.

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