Today's protest signs are sharper, meaner and funnier

THERE have been speeches, chants and protest anthems, both soulful and scathing - but as the masses have rallied and marched against US President Donald Trump's policies over the past two weeks, it is the signs they carried that are being stamped into memory.

Protesters turned Mr Trump's own words against him, with their "Nasty Woman" banners and flaunting signs that declared "This p-- grabs back." They scorned his seemingly cosy relationship with Russia: "Tinkle tinkle little czar, Putin made you what you are." They mocked his appearance: "We shall overcomb" and "Hands too small to build a wall."

They found many different ways to reject his authority: Not my President Not my Führer Not my Comrade Not my Cheeto. With a pithy mix of humour and combativeness, this is protest art for the social-media era. While many kept their messages serious and straightforward, it was the new breed of signage that went viral long after the crowds dispersed. Gaining wide circulation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or various "best protest signs" listicles, they reached a vast audience that never went near a march or rally.