Donald Trump’s unusual break from his presidential campaign to visit his golf course in Aberdeen, Scotland this week was met with criticism from prominent Republicans, who were unhappy that he was more focused on promoting one of his companies than on running for president. But perhaps the harshest reaction he received came from the people of Aberdeen.
Local residents, upset by both Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and his earlier attempts to take possession of private homes and land through eminent domain laws, expressed their displeasure with the apparent Republican presidential nominee by raising Mexican flags over adjoining properties.
House adjacent to Donald Trump's golf course in Aberdeen, Scotland flies Mexican flag as sign of protest pic.twitter.com/yc9v4NPqCx
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) June 25, 2016
Michael Forbes, a farmer whose efforts to fight Trump’s Aberdeen course got him voted Scotsman of the Year in 2012 erected a Mexican flag on his property, which is visible from the golf course.
Welcome to Scotland, Don: Neighbors raise Mexican flag next to Trump's reviled golf course. https://t.co/ZofFYHT2jA pic.twitter.com/nDjxVPdNSa
— America's Voice (@AmericasVoice) June 24, 2016
David Milne, whose home overlooks the course, did the same. “Very simply, it was a sign of solidarity for the Mexican people,” he told PRI, “We have been insulted, derided, degraded and sidelined by this man ourselves, so we know exactly what it’s like. It’s a little symbol to say ‘We’re still here. This is our home.’”
Mexican flag flown in solidarity near Trump's Scottish golf course https://t.co/Aq4ri0PMHJ pic.twitter.com/df5xf5DsrY
— AFP news agency (@AFP) June 22, 2016
A video posted on Saturday on Trump’s Facebook page of his arrival does not show the Mexican flags around his Aberdeen course.