Protesters across the United Kingdom are rallying ahead of President Donald Trump’s upcoming visits.
In what has been referred to as an “unprecedented” honor by U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Trump is set to enjoy a second state visit to the U.K. in September, where he will be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.
But Trump will be travelling across the Atlantic sooner than that, as he’s set to visit Scotland between July 25-29, where he’s scheduled to have private meetings with both Starmer and Scottish First Minister John Swinney.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has confirmed that Trump will be visiting Turnberry in Scotland, where he owns a hotel and golf course. The trip will also include a stop in Aberdeen, a northern Scottish town close to his other golf course, the Trump International Golf Links.
The President has family links to Scotland, as his mother Mary Anne MacLeod was born and raised on the Scottish isle of Lewis. Trump announced in June that he plans to open a memorial garden in her memory, including a centerpiece tribute made of stone imported from Lewis.
“The Scottish people, they’re tough people. They’re good people. Actually, they’re very great people. But they’re good fighters,” Trump said on the Flagrant podcast last year.
While Trump has expressed excitement over his state visit, in particular, there are already protests taking place against his trips.
The sentiment echoes the discontent some expressed when Trump attended a tea with Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle in July 2018, before he returned to London the following year for his first state visit at Buckingham Palace. (Trump will be hosted at Windsor for his second state visit, as Buckingham Palace is currently undergoing renovations.)
Protesters lined the streets against both of Trump’s visits, but it was his state visit in 2019 that made worldwide news, as the President engaged in a war of words with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan prior to the trip. When he arrived in June 2019, Trump was greeted by thousands of protesters, who were accompanied by a giant “Baby Trump” balloon which depicted Trump as a baby wearing a diaper.
Trump has recently faced protesters back in the United States, with rallies taking place across the country on June 14 when Trump hosted a national military parade on what happened to also be his birthday. He was the subject of further anti-Trump Administration protests on July 4.
In the U.K., some demonstrators have got a head-start on their rebellious acts.
Here’s what we know about the planned actions against Trump’s U.K. visits and the acts of protest already in progress.
A picture of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein has been placed nearby the U.S. embassy in London
An image of Trump alongside disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was installed at a bus stop in Nine Elms, London, near the U.S. Embassy last week.
The political campaign group Everyone Hates Elon posted a video of the image being installed, saying: “It would be such a shame for Donald if this photo of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein appeared absolutely everywhere on his tour of the U.K. It would truly be such a huge shame if everyone donated to make that happen.”
Trump’s relationship history with Epstein is once again under major scrutiny, especially with calls for more transparency regarding the case coming from both within and outside the MAGA base.
The Wall Street Journal published an article on July 17 that alleged Trump had written a “bawdy” birthday note to Epstein in 2003. The message was said to have included a drawing of a naked woman, followed by a note that read: “Happy Birthday—and may every day be another wonderful secret.” Trump has denied writing the message, and has since taken legal action against the publication.
Meanwhile, the Trump Administration has requested that the grand jury records related to the 2019 indictment of Epstein be released. But it’s a process that could take weeks, months, or years, if the courts approve it. Furthermore, it has done little to settle the calls for transparency, as people continue to call for the release of the Department of Justice’s Epstein files.
Read More: Trump Administration Requests Release of Epstein Grand Jury Files. What Happens Next?
The Stop Trump Coalition protests in Scotland
The Stop Trump Coalition has announced planned protests in both Aberdeen and the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, for Saturday July 26th. A member of the coalition, Tommy Campbell, has said that the group also plans to lay out an unwelcoming message on the coastline for Trump when he arrives in Aberdeen.
“We anticipate he will be flying in, possibly on a helicopter. We’ll make sure from the air that he will see our presence,” Campbell told the Huffington Post.
The Aberdeen protests have been described by the group as a “festival of resistance.”
“The people of Scotland don’t want to roll out a welcome mat for Trump, whose government is accelerating the spread of climate breakdown and fascism around the world,” a spokesperson for the organization said in a statement.
“Even if Keir Starmer bends the knee to Trump, John Swinney should stand with the people of Scotland and say 'no' to a humiliating photo opportunity with the leader of the international far-right,” the statement continued, referencing the First Minister of Scotland.
Police in Scotland are making significant preparations in anticipation of the President’s visit and the subsequent protests set to take place.
The head of the Scottish Police Federation has said: "This is a huge policing event for Scotland and we will require mutual aid because of the huge demand on my colleagues. This is already a difficult time for Police Scotland as they are trying to organise and deliver this at short notice during a period of high annual leave."
Read More: ‘Free America’: Anti-Trump Administration Protests Take Place Across U.S. on July 4
The Stop Trump Coalition protest in London
The Stop Trump Coalition has also organized a march for Sept. 17, to coincide with Trump’s state visit.
Whilst Trump will stay at Windsor Castle, roughly 25 miles west of London, is it possible that he will visit the capital, too. The march in protest of his visit is set to begin at 5 p.m., local time.
During Trump’s last state visit in 2019, protests in London included a large balloon depicting a “Baby Trump” that has since been gifted to the Museum of London.
Up to 250,000 people were estimated to have taken part in the protest, with the Stop Trump Coalition group predicting an even larger turnout come September.
“This time it will be even bigger, uniting campaigners across a huge range of issues. We are confident that the disgust at Donald Trump is just as strong across the country,” said spokesperson Zoe Gardner.
A nationwide Youth Walkout Against Trump
As part of the Youth Walkout Against Trump demonstration, participating students are set to walk out of colleges and universities across the U.K. in protest of his visit. Hundreds of people have already signed up, according to Socialist Students, the organizers of the protest.
Adam Gillman, the group’s national organizer, said: “We can send a powerful message to young people and workers in America that we stand with them against Trump—not with Starmer, who issued the invite for this state visit.”
Lauren, a student from the Welsh town of Wrexham, said of her intention to be involved in the protest: “These walkouts are a chance to stand up to Trump, as well as our government who welcome him with open arms, and all other leaders who uphold this corrupt system.”
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