Politicians urge Nicola Sturgeon to join Donald Trump protests

Politicians and protesters have urged Nicola Sturgeon to join demonstrations against American president Donald Trump when he visits Scotland.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Picture: Andy Buchanan/PA Wire

Patrick Harvie, Scottish Greens’ co-convener said the First Minister should rule out any proposed meeting with the president when he travels to Ayrshire next week, saying she should join protests instead.

He said: “The priority for the first mininster, and for us all, should be to show those in the UK who are threatened and marginalised by the Trump regime that we stand in solidarity with them,” he said.

Scottish Labour leader, Richard Leonard, said if Sturgeon was to meet Donald Trump it could be seen as “endorsement of his politics of hate”.

Protests are expected at his Aberdeenshire and Turnberry golf courses, in George Square in Glasgow and outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh at the weekend.

Ian Blackford, SNP leader at Westminster has previously called for the visit to be cancelled.

In 2015, Sturgeon stripped Trump of his membership of the GlobalScot group of international advocates for Scottish business.