Matt Halliday from Stranraer said he was disappointed more people hadn’t shown up to Trump’s golf course – while hundreds protested in Edinburgh and Aberdeen
A lone protester braved the massive police presence at Donald Trump’s golf course to protest against his visit to Scotland.
Trump enjoyed a morning round of golf with the protection of thousands of British police officers – while protests against his trip to Scotland raged elsewhere.
The US President is staying at Turnberry until Monday before heading off to his other golf resort in Aberdeen.
Tomorrow he’ll hold a meeting with EU chief Ursula Von Der Leyen, before sitting down with Keir Starmer on Monday.
During the meeting, they’re expected to discuss the fine points of the trade deal Mr Starmer agreed with President Trump in May.
But while it’s expected to be an informal session, they’ll also discuss heavier topics – including work to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the war in Ukraine.
Trump was seen playing golf on Saturday morning, and was shuttled around the course in a 15-strong motorcade of golf buggies.
He wore a white USA baseball cap, and waved at photographers gathered outside the course’s fence.
The sole protester at Turnberry – Matt Halliday, 55, from Stranraer – came to Turnberry today bearing two placards.
One featured a picture of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, and another of a set of bagpipes.
The message read: “TRUMP GO HOME: The only “blowhard” pumped up windbags that we want to listen to are these bad boys”.
The second placard was much less family friendly.
“I’m here to show my displeasure at Trump being here,” he told the Mirror.
“I just find him morally repugnant. I see what he’s doing in the states, rolling back civil rights for women and minorities, folk getting lifted from their houses, medicaid getting taken away – and he comes here and thinks he’s got the authority to pontificate to us.
“Because he wants us to do the same, and he’ll try and bully us through tariffs and trade – similar to Canada which he wants to make the 51st state.
“That’s what’s coming for us if we don’t stand up to him.”
Protests raged in Edinburgh and Aberdeen today, with thousands expressing their displeasure at Trump’s arrival.
In Aberdeen, the group that gathered in the city centre were seen waving banners with anti-Trump slogans – with one demonstrator even dressed as the president with a large papier mache head.
As speeches ended at the rally, chants of “Trump Trump Trump, out out out” could be heard, along with “Donald, Donald, hear us shout, all of Scotland wants you out”.
But the winding roads and windswept beaches of South Ayrshire, where Turnberry sits, remained calm and quiet.
Mr Halliday suggested people had been put off by the enormous operation Police Scotland have put in place to protect President Trump – complete with a no-fly zone, a ground exclusion zone stretching for miles around the resort, snipers and as many as 5,000 officers reported to be policing the area.
And the operation is much bigger than locals have seen during previous visits.
“It’s supposedly a private visit, and I’ve seen figures from £5 million to £14 million for Police Scotland, Mr Halliday said.
“That’s coming out of their budget. If you saw the convoy of 27 cars last night, there were even Scottish Ambulances at the back. And folk can’t get them. It’s madness.”
Mr Halliday said he was “very” disappointed to have arrived in Turnberry to find no other protesters – but he said he thought most people had gone to Edinburgh instead.
Mr Halliday said he was “very” disappointed to have arrived in Turnberry to find no other protesters – but he said he thought most people had gone to the Edinburgh rally instead.
Another man from Glasgow, who did not want to be named, said they were surprised people had not come to protest in Turnberry itself – and were dismayed that the huge police presence had been used to put people off.
“Especially since it’s – apart from a couple of meetings – it’s a holiday, it’s a private visit,” he said. “The resources that have been diverted from other places to protect him. It’s mad.”
One participant joined the Edinburgh rally against Donald Trump while wearing a Handmaid costume from the Margaret Atwood novel.
Louise Brown, a healthcare worker, said she had travelled from Newcastle to the Scottish capital to protest the President’s visit.
She said: “He’s a convicted felon – eroding women’s rights, trans rights, gay right, immigration rights. There’s too much to list.
“I know he loves Scotland because of his mother. He doesn’t normally care about protests but maybe he might care a little bit about one in Scotland, I don’t know.”
She said there was more anger towards Trump following his first inauguration in 2017, but added: “Especially after those immigration ICE raids, I think the anger has now come back.
“Because he’s even worse than he was the first time.”