HOLY CHUTE!
Protester swoops within feet of Don, who runs for cover
President Trump (circled) heads for shelter in Scotland Saturday as protester with banner flies overhead. Hunt for pilot and probe of security are underway.
Investigators on both sides of the pond pursued a paragliding protester Saturday after he plummeted a wee bit too close for President Trump’s comfort.
A video of the surreal scene at Trump’s private Turnberry golf club in Scotland captured the president dancing an uncomfortable jig to safety as the daredevil demonstrator descended through a no-fly zone late Friday.
Trump, in a suit and tie, nearly tripped over a curb as Secret Service agents steered him to safety.
Though the low-flying Greepeace UK activist appeared dangerously close to Trump, the environmental activist group said they advised police of the stunt about 10 minutes before the incident.
Scottish police confirmed they received a heads-up about the protest, and said the pilot of the paraglider is now a wanted man.
“It is a criminal offense to fly within the airspace restriction zone and officers are carrying out inquiries to trace the pilot,” said Mark Williams, Police Scotland’s assistant chief constable. “I would appeal to anybody with any information as to the identity of the pilot … to contact us.”
The U.S. Secret Service said it was also investigating the circumstances surrounding the stunt in “unauthorized airspace.”
“TRUMP: WELL BELOW PAR #RESIST,” read the massive yellow banner as the protester zipped above the president, who was mingling on his resort’s lawn around 9:30 p.m. Friday night.
Ben Stewart, a spokesman for the environmentalist organization, hailed the deft work of the elusive airborne activist.
“He did it very well,” Stewart told the Daily News. “He went home, slept very well, had a nice breakfast and got out of the area.”
Stewart declined to identify the pilot, describing the man only as a longtime Greenpeace activist with serious paragliding chops.
According to Stewart, the protest succeeded in its goal of delivering the anger of hundreds of thousands of Brits to Trump’s front lawn.
“It was important to us to do a protest over Donald’s head,” Stewart told the News. “People have come out into the streets to protest but he hasn’t seen any of them because he’s been shuttled around in a helicopter like he’s in Afghanistan or something.”
Stewart said the move ensured Trump knew what Brits really think of him.
“He gave a quote saying something like he’s liked in this country,” Stewart said, referencing an interview Trump gave to a London tabloid earlier this week. “I’m sorry to say it, Don, but you’re really, really not liked here.”
The White House did not return a request for comment. And Trump, despite a particularly busy Saturday on Twitter, failed to offer his take on what happened.
The amazing aerial feat, while praised on social media by Trump critics, actually put the protester’s life at risk. Armed bodyguards from both the Secret Service and Scottish police were protecting the president at the time of the protest.
“There’s no doubt anybody who breaches security around him puts themselves in grave danger,” said Williams. “On this occasion, we could assess the situation and we realized there was no direct threat to the president.”
Stewart said it took his organization seven weeks of diligent planning to carry out the paragliding protest.
A pair of Greenpeace activists booked rooms at the Trump resort and were able to coordinate with the paraglider and capture video and photos. The activists were booted from the hotel after Secret Service agents figured out who they were on Saturday morning, said Stewart.
“They were busted at breakfast,” Stewart said. “They had to leave their poached eggs and toast behind.”
The fly-by came on the heels of mass demonstrations across Britain coinciding with Trump’s first visit to the
kingdom since taking office. The Anti-Trump sentiment remained strong in the U.K. on Saturday.
A small group of protesters heckled the President as he hit the links at the Turnberry resort in the afternoon. “No Trump, no KKK, no racist USA,” they could be heard chanting in video captured by local outlets.
“Trump is a racist! Trump is a liar!” more picketers chanted during a “protest picnic” on the beach outside the resort.
Dozens of other protesters descended on Trump’s second Scottish golf club in the east coast city of Aberdeen. One woman tried to scale the wall surrounding the resort, but was taken down by police.
Meanwhile, more than 10,000 people took to the streets of Edinburgh in a peaceful mass protest.
Demonstrations continued Saturday in London — but this time in favor of Trump.
A small “Welcome Trump” rally was hosted in the Whitehall neighborhood by rightwing activists calling for the release of Tommy Robinson, an anti-Muslim organizer who was jailed in May for making illegal video recordings at a trial involving immigrants.
The rally was broken up by cops after two right-wingers were arrested on public disorder charges.