Sadiq Khan reacts to Donald Trump's planned visit as thousands pledge to take to the streets of London in protest

Sadiq Khan has warned Donald Trump he is set to face protests in London as thousands pledged to take to the streets after a date was set for the US President’s visit to the UK.

Mr Trump will come to Britain on Friday, July 13, for a working visit rather than a full-blown "state visit" previously expected, it was announced on Thursday.

The US President and London Mayor Mr Khan have publicly clashed over issues including terrorism and Islamophobia since Mr Trump took office.

And after the date for the visit was revealed, Mr Khan suggested the Republican president should be braced for demonstrations against him.

"If he comes to London, President Trump will experience an open and diverse city that has always chosen unity over division and hope over fear," Mr Khan said.

"He will also no doubt see that Londoners hold their liberal values of freedom of speech very dear."

Thousands of people have already pledged to take to the streets in protest when the President visits London in July.

More than 80,000 people have signalled their interest in an online Facebook event titled "Stop Trump's visit".

And social media was flooded with people vowing to make their voices heard during the UK visit.

Many promised a “carnival of resistance on the streets of London”, while the Stop Trump campaign group posted: “Friday the 13^th: unlucky for some. We're going to make it very unlucky for one Donald Trump.”

Shaista Aziz, from the Stop Trump Coalition, added: "If Trump actually comes to London, we could be looking at a march of millions. This won’t just be a movement against the President’s visit – it will become a movement against racism, anti-migrant bigotry, sexism, transphobia and far right politics in the UK."

Maz Saleem, from Stand Up to Trump, said before the date was confirmed: “Donald Trump is an open racist and sexist, a volatile and dangerous character who seems set on taking the West into further wars.

“Together we will put on a massive united show of opposition to him if Theresa May goes ahead with plans for a visit.”

Mr Trump and Mr Khan have had an acrimonious relationship in the past 18 months, with the US leader singling out the Mayor for his response to last year’s London Bridge terror attack in which eight innocent people died.

Mr Khan also criticised Mr Trump's Muslim travel ban, and said of his rival candidate Hillary Clinton ahead of the 2016 election: "I hope she trounces him".

Mr Khan's predecessor in City Hall, Boris Johnson, now Foreign Secretary, welcomed the visit.

He tweeted: "FANTASTIC news that President @realdonaldtrump will at last come to Britain on 13 July. Looking forward to seeing our closest ally and friend on the GREATest visit ever."

A previous planned visit to the UK by Mr Trump was cancelled amid suggestions he was keen to avoid being seen attracting large-scale protests.

He had been expected to open the new American embassy in Nine Elms, but pulled out, criticising the building for being "off location".