Thousands of Scots could join anti-trump Carnival of Resistance
The organisers of anti-trump protests are calling for tens of thousands of Scots to join a “Carnival of Resistance”.
US president Donald Trump arrives in the UK on Thursday and will meet Prime Minister Theresa May and The Queen.
He is expected to spend the weekend in Scotland, the birthplace of his mother and home of two Trump International golf courses.
A coalition of protesters, including leaders from across the Scottish political spectrum, has united to organise a series of demonstrations they hope will topple 2005’s G8 protests as the largest the country has ever witnessed.
Protesters will march against Mr Trump’s alleged sexism, racism and close ties to Russia as well as his administration’s environmental and immigration policies.
The backlash against the president’s visit was heightened when it was revealed immigrant families from Central America were being separated and detained in “cages” at the US border.
A Scotland Against Trump demonstration in Glasgow’s George Square will be held this Friday between 5pm and -8pm and include speeches, music and a “Toss the welly at Trump” game.
This will be followed by a “national demonstration” in Edinburgh outside the Scottish Parliament from 12 noon on Saturday. Later a rally will be held in The Meadows.
Elsewhere in Scotland, protests are expected at both of Trump’s Scottish golf courses – Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire and Trump Turnberry.
Mr Trump and his wife Melanie are expected to stay at Turnberry over the weekend.
In July 2005, during the G8 summit of global leaders at Gleneagles, 225,000 people took to the streets of Edinburgh for the Make Poverty History march.
Scotland United Against Trump’s Kirsty Haigh said: “Trump likes to talk up his Scottish connections but we are going to show that his politics are not welcome here.
“A growing coalition of organisations and campaigns are coming together to say that Scotland will stand united against Trump.
“We’re going to build support for two massive days of action with a rally in Glasgow and national demonstration and festival in Edinburgh.”
Backers include SNP, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Greens, Scottish Trades Union Congress, Unison and groups including Amnesty International and Friends of the Earth.
Mr Trump’s visit has been downgraded from an official state visit to a more informal working visit.