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The Herald Scotland
28-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Palestine protestors heckle Donald Trump's helicopter
Ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to the region, around 100 protestors assembled outside the White Horse Inn in bucolic Balmedie, surrounded by a sea of national and international press. Demonstrators gather outside the White Horse Inn. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) After a series of speeches, the group marched along leafy streets and woodland walks towards the town's park. Uniformed police blocked roads and diverted traffic as the group made their way through the small town, as curious locals looked on, snapping photos and rubbernecking from passing cars. Stopping for lunch at a nearby cafe prior to the protest, the police presence was easy to spot – a large van full of bored-looking officers sat prominently in the corner of the car park. 'I think he's done more for the local economy with all the negative publicity than he did during all his years building the golf course,' a friendly woman behind the counter said. Indeed, the cafe was nearly full, as fellow journalists and their photographer companions lunched on cheese toasties and cups of tea. Protestors waved Palestinian flags. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) Later, at the White Horse, protestors were more than happy to chat. 'Trump doesn't deserve to be here,' the Loch Ness sign woman said. 'The people of Scotland don't deserve this to happen here.' 'I blame Alex Salmond,' her companion added. 'Aberdeenshire Council voted against him and Alex Salmond overturned their decision.' Indeed, the Scottish Government's decision to allow Mr Trump to build a golf course at the sprawling Menie Estate, which opened in 2012, came as a surprise to many, especially given the ecologically fragile sand dunes surrounding the area. Indeed, as Mr Trump returns to the region to open a second course, the sullen memory of his first remains. Nicola Seal, a former ecologist and mum of two, organised the event. Between directions issued from a loudspeaker, she told The Herald: 'As an ecologist, I know how very vulnerable and fragile those dune systems are. 'When I heard that he was building a golf course here, I was absolutely appalled. We don't need another golf course, and we certainly don't need one built by him. 'It's an extremely expensive golf course that makes a massive loss anyway.' I asked Seal what she thinks about Mr Trump's appeals to his Scottish roots. She said: 'I think he's the least Scottish person in the world. Scottish values are about inclusivity and tolerance. 'We are historically a very tolerant and inclusive and left leaning society. And he is as far away from that as you can possibly get.' Two people unfurled a banner asking Mr Trump a series of questions. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) Seal added: 'It's an absolute joke that he goes on about his Scottish roots. I mean, I'm more Scottish than he is and I'm bloody English. 'He should sod off. The way he uses that as justification for coming and ruining our countryside and then making demands of our leaders and telling us what to do.' 'We need renewable energy and the world works on immigrants. We welcome immigrant labour into Scotland because we need it. 'He doesn't represent Scottish values, he's the antithesis of everything that is Scottish.' Finishing their march in a car park in Balmedie Country Park, protestors were in full view of uniformed police stationed in the dunes surrounding Mr Trump's golf course. There, demonstrators shouted slogans and waved flags as they awaited Mr Trump's arrival. However, an extensive press conference at Turnberry, in which the notoriously long-winded president spoke on a range of topics, from Scottish independence to whisky tariffs, resulted in the day's schedule being pushed back. Read more: Donald Trump responds to John Swinney's new plan for independence vote Donald Trump says he has 'alternative' plans for Gaza during visit to Scotland 'Awa wi ye': What I saw at Donald Trump's frosty welcome in Aberdeen An original arrival time of 4.30 pm was soon abandoned. While some of the protestors went home, grumbling about the president's lack of punctuality, others sat down to eat packed dinners and chat with friends, refusing to let Mr Trump off the hook. 'Why is his visit so expensive?' one woman, who travelled cross country from Glasgow, asked her companion. 'With all the poverty going on, surely that money could be put to better use.' Around 4.45 pm, the remaining protestors, perhaps a dozen or so, scaled one of the beach's dunes, unfurling a large Palestinian flag on top of the hillside. 'We couldn't let him turn up without anyone to greet him,' one demonstrator quipped. 'It would seem like no one cared.' There, they awaited the arrival of Mr Trump. As the minutes stretched to hours, they continued to wait. Finally, at half past 6, the rumble of helicopter blades echoed across the horizon. And the assembled roared in their disgust, high atop the highest dune.
The Herald Scotland
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Prominent Scottish museum selected as one of best in UK
V&A Dundee has ran a range of designed-themed activities over the course of the year, including 'Blockitecture', the Selkie Trial, and Drop in + Design. Tracey Smith, Learning Programme Producer – Families, from V&A Dundee said: 'Our team are all thrilled to be shortlisted for the Family Friendly Museum Award, particularly from our friends at Kids in Museums who champion creativity and family-centred museum experiences. 'It means so much to us to have our programme recognised in an award voted for and judged by families themselves. We'd like to share a huge thank you to everyone who nominated V&A Dundee and we hope to see you in the museum for lots more family fun across the summer!' Read more from Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco: Rewilding drone strategy praised in fight to restore Scotland's forests 'Rare' drawings by Renaissance masters to be displayed in Scotland after 50 years Pro Palestine campaign group to be banned, says Home Secretary Hundreds of nominations were whittled down to a list of 18 heritage attractions across the UK, including four in the 'Best Medium museum' category; the V&A, the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, The Amelia Scott in Tunbridge Wells, and the Great North Museum: Hancock in Newcastle. The shortlisted museums will now be visited by 'undercover' families who will assess the venues during the summer holidays against Kids in Museums' Manifesto. The awards will be announced at a ceremony in October. The V&A opened in September 2018, and has served as a vital aspect of the revitalisation of Dundee's waterfront.
The Herald Scotland
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Prominent Dundee museum selected as one of best in UK
V&A Dundee has ran a range of designed-themed activities over the course of the year, including 'Blockitecture', the Selkie Trial, and Drop in + Design. Tracey Smith, Learning Programme Producer – Families, from V&A Dundee said: 'Our team are all thrilled to be shortlisted for the Family Friendly Museum Award, particularly from our friends at Kids in Museums who champion creativity and family-centred museum experiences. 'It means so much to us to have our programme recognised in an award voted for and judged by families themselves. We'd like to share a huge thank you to everyone who nominated V&A Dundee and we hope to see you in the museum for lots more family fun across the summer!' Read more from Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco: Rewilding drone strategy praised in fight to restore Scotland's forests 'Rare' drawings by Renaissance masters to be displayed in Scotland after 50 years Pro Palestine campaign group to be banned, says Home Secretary Hundreds of nominations were whittled down to a list of 18 heritage attractions across the UK, including four in the 'Best Medium museum' category; the V&A, the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, The Amelia Scott in Tunbridge Wells, and the Great North Museum: Hancock in Newcastle. The shortlisted museums will now be visited by 'undercover' families who will assess the venues during the summer holidays against Kids in Museums' Manifesto. The awards will be announced at a ceremony in October.
The Herald Scotland
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Glasgow DWP offices picketed by disability activists
Protestors expressed anger over the government's 'Pathways to Work' plan, which would change how disabled people access social security. The consultation, held between 1 and 4 PM, has been labelled a 'sham'. There has been anger over proposed cuts. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) A statement released by Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) said: 'We are protesting because the consultation does not address the cuts which will have the most devastating effects and frames questions so they can only be answered positively. "This means they can tell Parliament the DWP consulted people who would be affected and no major issues were highlighted.' 'Among the elements not consulted on are changes to eligibility for PIP, combining assessments for PIP and the UC health element, and freezing the UC health element. The questions are worded so any answers must agree with the premise that some people must lose benefits. Security officers stood outside the building. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) 'Despite the DWP knowing how many people currently being supported will lose that support and how many people are claiming for specific conditions, this information is not provided. Consultees are expected to answer without knowing who will be affected.' A consultation in Cardiff was cancelled after the government became aware it was going to be protested, according to DPAC. The statement added: 'We should not be manipulated and used to legitimise a process which will lead to significant harm and, in all likelihood, deaths of disabled people.' Labour has blamed the previous government for a faulty benefits system they say is costing too much. In the forward to the green paper announcing the plan, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall wrote: 'We simply can't justify spending this much on a system which is failing on all counts – failing young people, failing disabled people and people with health conditions who need it, failing taxpayers and denying people the opportunities and support they need to get back to work. 'We must grasp the nettle and decisively reshape the benefits system towards being more proactive, more pro-work and sustainable.'
Glasgow Times
01-06-2025
- Science
- Glasgow Times
Calls to restore 'unique' aspect of Glasgow's Princes Square
Installed in the late 1980s after the Victorian square was renovated into a postmodern shopping gallery, it swung to and fro for decades, tracking the path of the Earth's rotation. Yet, time has taken its toll — and the pendulum no longer serves as a living science experiment in Glasgow City Centre. READ MORE: Council under fire after using AI to help form new policy on smartphones in schools For the last several years; it has been dormant, frozen. It is my first time in Princes Square and as I ride an escalator to the basement level, I'm keen to see what the fuss is all about. Because after years of inactivity, science-minded Glaswegians have launched a campaign to get the pendulum swinging again. The pendulum, viewed from above. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) Glasgow City Heritage Trust boss Niall Murphy tells me that he first noticed the pendulum was no longer working while he was at lunch in the gallery last week. After checking the weight, he found it had been deactivated. Created as an experiment by French scientist Leon Foucault 170 years ago, the pendulum's oscillation over a 24 hour period demonstrates the Earth's rotation. There are at least 130 Foucault pendulums across Europe, including 12 in the UK. Murphy tells me: 'The pendulum is part of the original set-up in Princes Square. It's one of the small details that make the space feel very special and adds to the sense of place. 'It was made by the California Academy of Science in San Francisco back in the 1980s, around the same time 'Foucault's Pendulum' by Umberto Eco was written, funnily enough. It has travelled a long way to be here.' Murphy says the shopping centre, which was named as Scotland's favourite building in 2016, is a 'great place' and 'fantastic space' which houses a lot of unique details paying homage to the city's artistic history. Sitting adjacent to Buchanan Street, the shell of the building was designed in the 1840s, before being renovated and covered with a glass atrium in the late 1980s. The site was sold to property developers M Core in 2024. 'It is a really good example of a postmodern space in the city. Ironically, directly opposite from where the pendulum is in the basement there is a heritage wall,' Murphy notes, 'which highlights all the different and unique features of the building.' The pendulum was installed in the 1980s, as this photo shows. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) The pendulum is easy enough to find, located at the centre of the building and wedged in between seating for Zibibbo and il Pavone restaurants. Patrons sip cocktails and nibble on tapas as I peer at the abandoned pendulum, snapping photos from several angles. I must look quite strange. Ironically, the wall that Murphy mentioned hails the pendulum as a key 'design feature' of the building, with one excerpt stating: 'In 1851, Jean Bernard Leon Foucault, the French physicist, demonstrated a free-swinging pendulum suspended from the dome of the Pantheon in Paris to conclusively prove that the Earth rotates. 'A weight suspended in this manner continues swinging in one direction relative to the sun while the Earth rotates. The northern hemisphere's anti-clockwise rotations produce an apparent clockwise rotation of the pendulum. Magnets have been mounted at the tip of the cable to counteract air resistance and gravity.' A petition calling on the centre's owners to reactivate the pendulum was created in July 2023, but lay dormant until a surge of interest this week. Paul Sweeney MSP, who is keenly aware of the importance of retaining Glasgow's heritage, tells me he is backing the petition. He said: 'Glasgow is lucky to have a Foucault Pendulum in Princes Square, but it is a shame to see it is no longer working. 'Reactivating the pendulum would be tremendous for Glasgow. It would allow Glaswegians to continue to marvel at the remarkable scientific discovery, and it would show a willingness to preserve scientific heritage in public spaces. 'I will be writing to the management of Princes Square to ask them to ensure that the pendulum is in working order and I encourage people to take a few minutes to sign the petition." Read more: 'Fun police': Decision made on the selling of ice cream in Glasgow parks In the depths of Princes Square, huddled between tables of people eating lunch and the hurried footsteps of passersby, I gaze at the pendulum, now still. I'm met with a wave of nostalgia. You see, this is all oddly familiar. Growing up near Philadelphia, a highlight of the school calendar was a trip to the Franklin Institute, an ornate science centre named after Benjamin Franklin, he of key and kite. At the heart of the museum, near the IMAX screen and planetarium, hangs a Foucualt pendulum, four stories off the ground. It has swung for more than 80 years, with a 85 foot wire pulling a 180 pound orb from side to side. It's a memory I have tucked away in the back of my psyche, faint and faded — but the magic remains. Sadly, that sense of wonder appears to have been lost in some quarters. The Benjamin Franklin Institute is located in Philadelphia. (Image: Dan Mall/Unsplash) As campaign organiser Ethan Slater wrote on 'The motionless Foucault's Pendulum in Princes Square has left a lasting impact on those who frequent the area. Its stillness has deprived people of a captivating spectacle. 'The absence of this intriguing pendulum robs the community of a unique educational and cultural experience, as it once served as a source of wonder and curiosity, especially for students and science enthusiasts.' This is an issue which goes behind the glass walls of Princes Square. As Murphy notes, the fate of the pendulum mimics what is taking place across the city, as historic motifs and architectural flourishes are being removed. READ MORE: 10 Glasgow areas set to have fireworks ban The heritage boss tells me: 'There are a lot of details in the building which are all to do with the Tree of Life — a lot of Mackintosh's designs play on this theme. 'Some of these details are being lost — they've been covered over and are disappearing. It's somewhat depressing. 'It's unfortunate, because features like the pendulum add to the sense of place for these buildings. But no one seems to care. We need to fight against this attitude.' Indeed, apathy is one of the biggest challenges in the battle to maintain the built fabric of Glasgow. How do we convince Glaswegians that beauty deserves to be protected, that the buildings around us tell a deeper story, one which is lost when they end up gutted or on the scrap heap? Perhaps, it is as simple as looking up — and embracing the magic and wonder once again.
