THOUSANDS of people across Scotland gathered in the biting cold to protest against the travel ban enforced by President Trump on Muslims and refugees.

The largest protests were in Glasgow and Edinburgh where crowds swelled from around 5pm, and protests were also evident in Aberdeen and Dundee.

Young children joined students, refugee groups, politicians and people of all faiths and creeds on Glasgow's Concert Hall steps in a massive show of support for those affected by the executive order.

Speeches delivered at the top of the Concert Hall steps were interspersed by chants of: "Go Ahead No Fear, Donald Trump's not welcome here."

Mohammed Asif, Director of Afghan Human Rights Foundation, said: "I am pleased that I live in a city where people extend the hand of solidarity to strangers.

"Hitler persecuted the Jewish people on the basis of religion and ethnicity. Trump is doing the same.

"The world is full of good people including those who have come out in this cold weather to protest. 99% of these people are not Muslim.

"It shows Muslims that they are not alone.

"Terrorists don't have a religion, you are just a killer. You have to judge someone by their actions.

"My fear is that terrorists will take advantage of this and then Donald Trump will say, I was right."

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Isla Banerji, 19, a student at Glasgow University said: "I'm so proud that Glasgow has done this. American has gone to sh*t for the next four years."

Nicola Fisher of the Stop the War Coalition, and a teacher in Glasgow, said: "These people are shaping up to be the successors of the Nazis.

"When you turn refugees away you send them home to die.

"Ordinary people beat fascism in the far right before and we will beat them again.

"The children I teach described this as racism.

"If children are saying that then what the hell is wrong with Theresa May and Boris Johnson."

SNP MSP Sandra White said she planned to raise the plight of the Glasgow University vet Hamaseh Tayari, who has been prevented from returning home, tomorrow at Holyrood.

She said: "We cannot sit back and let this happen." A mass demo in Glasgow is planned for March 18.

Meanwhile, Ruth Davidson has called on US President Donald Trump to rescind his travel ban, describing it as “simply wrong”.

As protests are staged around the world, the Scottish Conservative leader added her voice to calls for the executive order to be reversed.

Prime Minister Theresa May is facing intense pressure to axe the state visit planned for Donald Trump following widespread outrage over his travel ban on Muslims and refugees.

More than a million Britons have signed a petition against a planned the state visit and there was confusion over impact Mr Trump’s executive order will have on UK dual national citizens.

Ms Davidson praised the UK Government for getting clarification on the status of UK dual citizens, but said: “I think at base, myself and many other people across the globe, including former Republican vice-president Dick Cheney, our solution would be for this executive order to be rescinded.

“I think that would be what we all want to see.”

Speaking on a visit to a Glasgow college, she added: “I think in terms of the work that has been going on diplomatically, I’m very pleased that the UK Government, both the Foreign Office and the Home Office, have been speaking intensively to their counterparts in the US.

“I’m glad that there is clarification for people of dual nationality based in Britain, but for me that doesn’t stop the idea that this executive order is simply wrong.”

Ms Davidson also defended Theresa May amid a backlash after she repeatedly refused to criticise Mr Trump over the ban when questioned about the policy during a press conference on a visit to Turkey.

No 10 later said the Prime Minister did ‘’not agree’’ with the policy and would act to help UK citizens.

Ms Davidson said: “I think people want a Prime Minister that is considered in her views and Theresa May is certainly that.”

Meanwhile, the Church of Scotland has joined criticism of Mr Trump’s order.

Rev Dr Russell Barr, the Moderator of the General Assembly, said: “The protests and the condemnation has my full support.

“History is littered with instances in which human distrust, xenophobia and discrimination has sewn hatred and conflict; our own desire for self-preservation taken at the exclusion of others.

“And yet throughout history the Bible has called Christians to live beyond hatred and fear, demonstrating a radical hospitality where the stranger finds welcome and refuge is provided for those who are oppressed.”