US vice president greeted by pro-Palestine protesters in Scotland

LONDON

US Vice President JD Vance got a chilly reception from pro-Palestine protesters after he arrived in Scotland late Wednesday as part of his family holiday to the UK.

Vance landed at Glasgow Prestwick Airport before travelling to Carnell Estate near Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire.

At the resort, he was greeted by dozens of pro-Palestine activists, who accused him of supporting Israel's genocide in Gaza, Scottish daily The National reported on Thursday.

Waving Palestinian flags, the group chanted pro-Palestine slogans, while some protesters banged pots and pans in reference to starvation in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza for 18 years and sealed all border crossings on March 2, collapsing a January cease-fire and prisoner swap deal, and further choking off humanitarian access.

The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.

Police officers told the protesters they would need to move and that officers would do so if they refused to go to a different space nearby.

Vance will reportedly stay five days in Scotland.

Last week, Israel’s Security Cabinet approved Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to fully occupy Gaza City, drawing a sharp backlash from governments and human rights bodies.

Israel has been facing mounting outrage over its deadly war on Gaza, where it has killed more than 61,700 people since October 2023.

The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.