Trump golf resort vandalized by pro-Palestinian activists
One of President Trump's golf resorts in Scotland was vandalized by pro-Palestinian activists in response to his proposal to empty the Gaza Strip of its Palestinian population.
Activists with the United Kingdom-based group Palestine Action said they targeted Mr. 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 vandalized the clubhouse's exterior wall with red spray paint.
The group 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.
Police Scotland said it received a report of damage to the golf course in the early hours of Saturday and that inquiries are
ongoing. No arrests have been made.
Mr. Trump sparked outrage last month when he suggested the U.S. "take over" Gaza and turn it into the "Riviera of the Middle East," while forcing its Palestinian inhabitants to relocate to Egypt or Jordan. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu embraced the proposal, which was roundly rejected by Palestinians, Arab countries and human rights experts, who said it would likely violate international law
On Saturday, foreign ministers from Muslim nations rejected Mr. Trump's proposal.
Without specifically mentioning Mr. Trump, the ministers said they rejected "plans aimed at displacing the Palestinian people individually or collectively … as ethnic cleansing, a grave violation of international law and a crime against humanity."
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.
Turnberry is one of two resorts Mr. Trump owns in Scotland, his mother's ancestral home.
A spokesperson for the resort called the actions by the activists a "childish, criminal act," adding that the team will ensure it does not impact business.
"Turnberry is a national treasure and will continue to be the number one beacon of luxury and excellence in the world of golf," they said.
Turnberry is one of 10 courses on rotation to host the British Open, the oldest of the four major championships in men's golf. However, it has not staged the event since Mr. Trump bought the course in 2014 and renovated several holes.
Man with Palestinian flag arrested after climbing Big Ben
Elsewhere, in London, a man was arrested early Sunday after he climbed the Big Ben tower at the Palace of Westminster in central London while barefoot and holding a Palestinian flag.
The man, who appeared to be staging a protest on a ledge several yards up Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben, stepped off the building after midnight and onto a cherry picker following a long conversation with negotiators. He got into a waiting ambulance.
Traffic around the Palace of Westminster in London was at a standstill for much of Saturday as emergency crews tried to reach the man. Negotiators were lifted on a fire brigade ladder platform several times before eventually talking him down.
Westminster Bridge and a nearby street were closed for much of the day and several emergency services vehicles were at the scene as crowds looked on. Police also blocked off all pedestrian access to Parliament Square. A small group of supporters shouted "Free Palestine" from behind a police cordon nearby.
Officials said tours of the Houses of Parliament were canceled because of the incident.
"This has been a protracted incident due to the specifics of where the man was located and the need to ensure the safety of our officers, the individual and the wider public," Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
It was not immediately known if the two protests were related.
