President Trump’s upcoming trip to Scotland on Friday is expected to erupt in protests from local statesmen who oppose his administration.
The “Stop Trump Coalition” organized demonstrations in Aberdeen and Edinburgh on Saturday to disrupt the president’s visit.
“He has repeatedly extorted America’s closest allies, including the UK, with his tariff warfare, while cosying up to wanted war criminals like Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin,” a spokesperson for the group said in a statement online.
“And, of course, people in Scotland who simply wanted to live in peace near what is now his vanity project golf course have experienced Trump’s abusive and high-handed behaviour first-hand, long before he first entered the White House,” they added.
Trump Organization to open new golf course
Trump’s visit is slated to celebrate the opening of a new 18-hole course outside of Aberdeen, to be named after his mother Mary Anne MacLeod, who was of Scottish descent.
Trump also is set to meet with foreign dignitaries, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and First Minister John Swinney during the July 25-29 trip, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Police presence expected
Police in Scotland are bracing for large gatherings and demonstrations. David Kennedy, the general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said normal operations will be impacted.
“It will be seriously affected, it has to be. There’s not enough police officers for it not to be affected,” Kennedy said during a BBC broadcast.
Leaders have encouraged protestors to remain civil amid understaffing for the duration of Trump’s visit.
“We are used to policing protests in this country, we do it very well, and I hope the protesters realise that police officers in Scotland are friendly and we just want people and the public to be safe. A policing plan will be in place to maintain public safety, balance rights to peaceful protest and minimise disruption,” Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond said according to the Oxford Mail.
“The visit will require a significant police operation using local, national and specialist resources from across Police Scotland, supported by colleagues from other UK police forces as part of mutual aid arrangements.
However, others echoed Kennedy’s concern for local residents as officers respond to calls regarding political demonstrations against the president.
“Let’s be clear: this is a private visit by a head of state to play golf. And we are pulling 1,500 officers—roughly a third of the size of an average police force in England and Wales—away from their normal duties to support it,” said Tiff Lynch, national chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, according to a report by The Independent.
“That should stop anyone in their tracks. These are officers who would otherwise be responding to emergencies, safeguarding the vulnerable, and reassuring communities. Instead, they’re being asked to give up rest days and work excessive hours to police a leisure visit,” she added.
Past protests erupted at Turnberry Golf Course
Several protests have already taken place at the Trump Organization’s Turnberry Golf Course, listed as the most expensive site per round in the United Kingdom.
During Trump’s last presidential visit in 2018, groups gathered outside of the property to boo the president while he played an afternoon match on the course. Demonstrators also flew a paraglider around the area with a message criticizing the president’s first term.
“Trump’s coming to play golf and our activists are going to be following him around wherever he goes. No peace for an authoritarian fascist leader like Trump,” Seema Syeda of the UK Stop Trump Coalition said in an Instagram post.
In recent days, executives at the Trump Organization and professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau have been advocating for the site to serve as a host for the British Open, the oldest golf tournament in the world.
Turnberry hosted the renowned event once before in 2009 and is still on R&A’s 10-venue British Open rotation but isn’t playing an active role, the AP reported.
Some Scottish leaders are planning to use Trump’s upcoming visit to discuss opportunities for economic growth through his properties and a negotiate for better trade deals.
“This is about investment, exports, and jobs, not politics. Scotland’s exports, from whisky and salmon to renewables and fintech, are world-class. The US is a key market, and now’s the time to reinforce our value,” Dr Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chamber of Commerce said in a statement to The Sunday Post.
“We should be pushing for better trade terms, fewer barriers, and stronger commercial partnerships. This is about delivering real economic impact.”
Guy Hinks, chair of the Federation of Small Businesses Scotland told the outlet companies and leaders should be “seizing every opportunity to engage with the president of the United States on matters affecting the interests of Scottish businesses.”
