Protesters gather on the streets of Edinburgh against a visit to Scotland by US President Donald Trump. Photo / Getty Images
With witty placards, blaring bagpipes and terse lines in the sand, Scots are protesting against United States President Donald Trump’s visit to their nation in their own inimitable way.
Today NZT, near a statue of William Wallace in central Aberdeen, an activist set up a desk draped with a US flag bearing the word “sorry” and offered apologies to passersby for America’s “failings”.
The interactions with strangers are “unscripted acts of connection, resistance and atonement”, said Joseph DeLappe, who was born in the US but has lived in Scotland for nearly nine years.
Trump is no stranger to protests either at home or abroad, but in Scotland (where his mother was born Mary Anne MacLeod) the resistance comes with a distinctly Scottish twist: a mix of humour, sarcasm, and bite.
During his five-day private visit, the President was spotted playing golf on his Turnberry course. He met today with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and is also expected to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Scottish First Minister John Swinney.
When Trump arrived, if he had glanced at the Scottish newspaper the National, he might have noticed its not-so-subtle front page: “Convicted US felon to arrive in Scotland”.
Hundreds of anti-Trump protesters poured onto the streets of Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Dumfries. Further protests are planned in Aberdeenshire tomorrow.
During the rallies, several signs carried messages with unmistakable Scottish flair. One protester, who was playing bagpipes, carried a sign that read: “Pipe down Donald”.
Several people held up signs proclaiming, “Nae Trump” - a Scots phrase that simply means “No Trump” - or that referred to Trump as a “radge”, local slang for a wild, crazy or violent person.
Several signs spoofed pop culture or paid homage to Scottish icons. Some children were photographed with signs that read, “Keep orange fizzy, not fascist”, with a logo of Irn-Bru, a popular Scottish soft drink.
Many referenced the late Scottish comedian Janey Godley, who famously held up an anti-Trump sign with a not-quite-rhyming expletive. “Janey was right,” read more than one sign.
Those blocked from accessing Trump’s Turnberry course took their creativity to the coast, where they wrote messages in the sand, including “Get Trump Out” and “Free Palestine”.
“We are creative with our protests, but there is really a deeply felt kind of revulsion to the politics of Trump,” said Alena Ivanova, 37, a lead organiser at a rally in Aberdeen, which was co-ordinated by a group called the Stop Trump Coalition.
The group advocates on issues such as climate change, migrants’ rights, and Palestinian solidarity.
More than 1000 protesters gathered outside the US Consulate in Edinburgh to let Trump know he was not welcome.
Jack Nevin, who organised the Edinburgh event, said that the nation’s thorny relationship with the President was summed up in a sign that said: “Scotland hated Trump before it was cool”.
The Trump organisation has stirred controversy in Scotland over its golf courses for more than a decade, and this weekend’s visit rekindled those tensions.
Some staples of Trump protests were visible amid the local colour.
Some demonstrators waved pictures of Trump with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison, and at least one woman wore a Handmaid’s Tale costume, which women have donned to protest against Republican positions on abortion and other reproductive issues.
Trump was similarly greeted with demonstrations when he came to Scotland during his first term. Then, thousands marched through the streets of Edinburgh and the now-famous “Trump baby blimp” floated around the city.
This past weekend the crowds have been far smaller, and there were no giant inflatables.
Trump does have support in parts of Scotland, including in Turnberry on the west coast, where he is seen to have helped the local economy.
According to the Scotsman newspaper, Trump was seen blowing kisses to a handful of fans who shouted, “We love you, Trump”.
But other locals, including those in Aberdeenshire, in the east, are bitter over what they say are broken promises and environmental degradation.
Activists placed a “twinned with Epstein island” sign next to the main welcome sign at the course.
Overall, Scots remain cool on Trump. An Ipsos survey published in March found that 71% of Scots hold an unfavourable opinion of him.
Scotland is a Trump ancestral home. His mother, who married Fred Trump in 1936, was born on the Isle of Lewis.
During this trip, the President was expected to open a new golf course in her honour.
Even on Lewis, views are mixed. A banner reading “Shame on you, Donald John” is currently make its away around the island, displayed at homes and private properties.
“Donald John” is a common name on the island, according to the banner’s creator, Sarah Grussing. In an email, Grussing explained that the wording was chosen “as the sort of admonishment a family member would give a child that was not living up to community values”.
Asked what the people on Lewis think of Trump, Alasdair Allan, a member of the Scottish Parliament who represents the region, gave a characteristically Scottish reply.
“I can’t speak for everyone in Lewis, and there will be a mixture of views here, as everywhere,” Allan said.
“However, I personally suspect that most people here will see in Mr Trump a distinct lack of those characteristics which people in Scotland’s islands value particularly highly: modesty, self-deprecation, compassion, a hesitation in which to allow thinking before speaking, neighbourliness, self-awareness and a sense of humour.”