Saturday, 26 April 2025
Saturday, 26 April 2025
Pro-Palestinian activists said Saturday they have vandalised one of US President Donald Trump's golf resorts in Scotland in response to his proposal to empty the Gaza Strip of its Palestinian population.
Activists targeted Trump's Turnberry golf course and hotel in southwest Scotland overnight, painting “Gaza Is Not For Sale” in giant letters on the lawn.
They also sprayed red paint on a building at the golf course and shared photos of the vandalism on social media.
The group Palestine Action said it “rejects Donald Trump's treatment of Gaza as though it were his property to dispose of as he likes”.
“To make that clear, we have shown him that his own property is not safe from acts of resistance," it said in a statement.
In another post on X, they posted a video showing the words “Gaza is not 4 sale” on the greens.
Police Scotland said it received a report of damage to the golf course in the early hours of Saturday, and that inquiries are ongoing.
Another photograph shows a damaged lamp post at the resort owned by the Trump Organization. According to a BBC report, a spokesperson described it as a "childish, criminal act."
The future of Gaza is uncertain as the first phase of a ceasefire that paused the 15-month war between Israel and Hamas ended with no clarity on what would come next because the agreement's second phase has not yet been hammered out.
Meanwhile, Trump has called for Gaza's population to be resettled elsewhere permanently so that the United States can take over the territory and develop it for others. Palestinians have roundly rejected calls to leave.
"To make the public opposition to Trump’s intentions clear, activists spray-painted the clubhouse and dug up the greens, including the course’s most prestigious holes—used in numerous Open Championships," the group stated on its website.
Turnberry is one of 10 courses on the rotation to host the British Open, the oldest of the four major championships in men's golf.
According to the BBC, Turnberry is widely regarded as one of the top five golf courses in the world.
However, it hasn't staged the event since Trump bought the course in 2014 and renovated several holes.
In November, Martin Slumbers, who at that time was the chief executive of British Open organiser the R&A, said there were no immediate plans for the event to return to Turnberry.
