Donald Trump has described members of a pro-Palestine group accused of vandalising his Turnberry golf resort as “terrorists”.
The clubhouse at the five-star resort on the west coast of Scotland was graffitied earlier this month and the course was dug up and painted with the words “Gaza is not 4 sale”.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president said he hoped those responsible would be “treated harshly”.
He wrote: “I was just informed by Prime Minister Starmer of the United Kingdom, that they caught the terrorists who attacked the beautiful Turnberry, in Scotland. They did serious damage, and will hopefully be treated harshly.
“You cannot let things like this attack happen, and I greatly appreciate the work of Prime Minister Starmer, and UK law enforcement.”
Trump also wrongly claimed that three people were in prison as a result of police inquiries.
A 33-year-old man has been charged over the incident and is due to appear at Ayr sheriff court. Another man, aged 75, and a 66-year-old woman were arrested and released pending further inquiries.
The incident took place amid a weekend of pro-Palestine protests across the country after Trump prompted international outcry when he suggested the US could “take over” war-ravaged Gaza and “own it”, in effect endorsing the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
Palestine Action supporters posted footage on social media of the words “Gaza is not 4 sale” sprayed on the Ayrshire golf course.
The group said its action was a “direct response to the US administration’s stated intent to ethnically cleanse Gaza” after “having laid out plans to ‘clean out the whole thing’ and forcibly displace its population”.
Following the incident, a spokesperson for Trump Turnberry dismissed it as a “childish, criminal act”, adding: “Turnberry is a national treasure and will continue to be the number one beacon of luxury and excellence in the world of golf.”
Police Scotland said inquiries into the incident were continuing.