Scottish protesters tell Trump ‘you’re not welcome’

Donald Trump may have chosen to skip Scotland during his official UK state visit, but that didn’t stop protesters from sending a message from north of the Border.

Activists turned out in both Edinburgh and Glasgow yesterday to oppose the US president’s presence on British soil.

More than 150 people protested outside St Giles’ Cathedral on the Royal Mile, bearing placards declaring ‘No to Trump, no to war’ and ‘migrants and refugees welcome here’. Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard addressed the crowd standing next to a papier-mâché head depicting Mr Trump.

Thousands of protesters greeted Mr Trump with both anger and British irony in London, crowding the city’s government district while the US leader was meeting Prime Minister Theresa May nearby.

Hundreds of people protest against Donald Trump's State visit outside St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. Picture: Duncan McGlynn

Feminists, environmentalists and peace activists demonstrated against the lavish royal welcome being given to a president they see as a danger to the world.

“I’m very cross he’s here,” said guitar teacher Katie Greene, carrying a home-made sign reading “keep your grabby hands off our national treasures” under a picture of one of Queen Elizabeth II’s corgis.

A day of protests began with the flying of a giant blimp depicting the president as an angry orange baby, which rose from the grass of central London’s Parliament Square.