Shop near Trump’s mother’s birthplace displays ‘Shame on You’ sign in protest

By Elizabeth Hunter

A shop near the birthplace of Donald Trump's mother has displayed a sign reading "Shame On You" in a protest against the President.

Sarah Venus and her husband Peter own Lewis Revival - a store in South Beach in Stornoway, Scotland.

They began displaying the banner after witnessing the "appallingly abusive" treatment of Ukrainian President Zelensky by Trump and JD Vance.

Sarah, who is originally from the USA, said the meeting forced her to take action - and has now also begun handing out posters and leaflets bearing the slogan to other residents.

Trump's mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, was born on the Hebrides Island of Lewis, where she lived until immigrating to New York at the age of 18.

"We had already put out the Ukrainian flag in solidarity the morning before the horrific press conference at the White House," said Sarah.

"However, the appallingly abusive treatment of President Zelensky by the President and Vice President and the alarming lies that Trump uttered in front of the world were the final impetus for us to express a broader statement of protest of the policies, words and actions of the Trump regime.

"We are currently flying the Ukrainian flag but this could just as well be the UN flag, the Pride flag, the Greenland flag, the Canadian flag, or even the upside-down American flag representing a country in distress.

"We printed a banner to display outside our small business and are offering free window posters for those in the community who may also feel that Trump’s values are not our own and wish to add their voices."

She told STV: "In good understated Hebridean fashion, we figured this wording would be appropriate to use his entire name, as our mothers do when they’re displeased with us.”

Sarah, who came to Scotland 10 years ago after marrying her husband, is deeply disappointed and worried about the direction of the USA under Trump's leadership and has condemned the President's attacks on human rights and "bullying" behavior towards neighboring countries and political allies.

A former university professor whose research focused on social movements and representations of race, class and gender in Latin American literature, she has also criticized the President's decision to arrest a Palestinian who was protesting against Israel's war crimes - before announcing "this is the first arrest of many."

"As a patriotic American, it causes me deep pain to see the US executive branch overstepping its legal power and dismantling the crucial system of checks and balances that safeguard democracy," she said.

"It is anguishing to see the Trump regime carrying out violations of civil and human rights within US borders and bullying neighboring countries and allies.

"Trump’s own mother emigrated from the Hebrides at a time when the US still welcomed immigrants with open arms.

"As an immigrant who did the reverse journey ten years ago from the US to the Hebrides to make a new life with my British citizen spouse, I have experienced firsthand a welcoming Scottish community and the fulfillment of being allowed to fully participate in, and contribute to, this community.

"Trump is also attacking freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, and academic freedom.

"I am dismayed at Trump’s overreach in banning student protests, illegally detaining a protest leader with legal resident status, and removing funding from universities who attempt to maintain a diverse faculty and student body."

The couple say that the response from the local community has been incredibly positive, with many island residents displaying their own posters on their cars and windows.

They hope to continue speaking out in protest against the treatment of immigrants and minority communities across the USA under Trump.

"We want to thank all the print and TV journalists as well as our social media community and local islanders for amplifying our concerns about the increasing repression, authoritarianism and damaging foreign policy coming from the Trump/Musk regime," she said.

"We never thought the “Shame on you, Donald John” banner across our shop would resonate so far afield.

"We are happy that our message has led to more awareness and debate as that was the original goal of our statement.

"The persecution of immigrants, the erasure of contributions by minorities, women and trans persons does not reflect the values of most Americans and this is why so many, whether at the grassroots level or in the Congress and Senate, are speaking up and pushing back.

"I am doing my best to act in solidarity with those voices."