US vice president JD Vance has arrived in Scotland as he continues his family holiday to the UK.
Donald Trump’s second-in-command landed at Prestwick Airport on Wednesday evening before travelling with a large motorcade to the luxury Carnell Estate near Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire.
He was greeted at the resort by dozens of pro-Palestine protesters, who accused him of supporting a “genocide” by Israel in Gaza.
Police officers surrounded protesters (Craig Meighan/PA)
The demonstrated were kettled by police as they bashed pots and pans, waved Palestine flags and shouted pro-Palestine chants.
Police had initially told the protesters they would need to move and that officers would do so if they refused to leave to a different space nearby.
Airspace restrictions are in place around the estate until Sunday.
Dozens of pro-Palestine protesters turned up at the resort (Craig Meighan/PA)
Mr Vance will reportedly spend five days in Scotland – the same amount of time his boss did during his trip to the country last month.
President Trump split his stay between his golf courses in South Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire, during which time he met the First Minister and Prime Minister.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “This visit requires a significant police operation and we have appropriate resources in place using local, national and specialist officers from across Police Scotland.”
US vice president JD Vance disembarked from an official US plane at Prestwick Airport earlier in the evening (Jane Barlow/PA)
Mr Vance had been holidaying in the Cotswolds, but travelled to the Foreign Secretary’s Chevening House retreat in Kent on Friday – and he joined David Lammy for a spot of carp fishing at the countryside estate.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Vance described the UK-US relationship as “a beautiful alliance” during a speech at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.