A paraglider who sent Donald Trump’s security team into a panic as he flew over Turnberry with the President yards away has been freed by police today.
The man, 55, who has not been named, was carrying a ‘Trump Well Below Par’ banner when he zoomed over the South Ayrshire hotel and golf course where Mr Trump was staying on Friday.
The suspect, who was being watched by snipers, circled Turnberry three times before flying off again to evade police.
Footage of the protest showed Mr Trump was ushered into the luxury hotel by his bodyguards, which he bought for £35million in 2014.
Police Scotland launched an investigation and said the incident was being treated as a breach of the air exclusion zone in place for the president’s two-night stay.
A Greenpeace activist accused of flying over the US President has been freed pending further inquiries
Trump (circled) walks quickly inside the property’s grand hotel, surrounded by a bevvy of Secret Service agents as the protester came closer
The Friday night protest was a coup for Greenpeace, who had members staying secretly in the Turnberry hotel – they were kicked out 24 hours later
They arrested the suspect yesterday and detectives said he would appear at Ayr Sheriff Court today.
But today The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), Scotland’s prosecution service, said he had been ‘liberated’ – the term for bail used north of the border for bail.
Suspects are commonly released under these circumstances if police are asked for more evidence before the case can proceed.
A Crown Office spokesman said: ‘The procurator fiscal at Ayr received a report concerning a 55 year old man and an alleged incident on Friday, 13 July.
‘He was liberated from custody pending further inquiries and did not appear in court.’
Mr Trump and his wife Melania were staying at the Turnberry resort during a private leg of their visit to the UK, after the president had meetings with Prime Minister Theresa May and the Queen.
As night fell on Friday Greenpeace activists staying in the hotel filmed the moment the paraglider flew into view.
Footage showed Mr Trump walking quickly inside the property’s grand hotel, surrounded by a large number of his Secret Service agents.
Police Scotland patrolling the property looked on and snipers positioned on top of the hotel held their fire as the activist did lap after lap overhead.
When he passed Turnberry for a third time, a police vehicle began to pursue him.
The activist then made his escape flying back in the direction from which he came.
The protester flew away, eluding authorities, but after a brief manhunt in Scotland he was arrested on Sunday
Trump waves at protesters and the press as he plays golf at Tunberry on Saturday
Senior staffers to the President were captured in long-lens photos starring at the banner dumbfounded.
Greenpeace also posted a picture that plainly showed the President standing outside when the protest occurred.
The organisation’s activists, who booked a room at Turnberry incognito, were booted from the property on Saturday when the Secret Service discovered who they were, the organization said.
The environmental activist group said they advised police of the stunt about 10 minutes before the incident.
But the protester was still hunted down and arrested over the alleged breach of the air exclusion zone.
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