John Swinney was booed at Alex Salmond’s funeral (Image: PA/Getty)
Scottish First Minister was booed and called a “traitor” by a crowd gathered at a memorial service for former and Alba leader Alex Salmond.
Mr Swinney was making his way into St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh when he was shouted at by onlookers, including one person who said: “Shame on you.”
Relations between Mr Salmond and senior figures, including Mr Swinney and former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, soured before he left the party in 2018.
Mr Salmond was in the process of taking legal action against the Scottish Government
Crowds of people gathered near the memorial service with Scottish flags being flown by many.
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Crowds shouted at Mr Swinney outside the cathedral (Image: PA)
Other high-profile attendees included former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.
Ms Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf, First Minister from March 2023 to May 2024, did not attend.
Kenny MacAskill, now acting leader of Alba, the party that Mr Salmond also led before his death, paid tribute to his late colleague.
Speaking at the service, he said Mr Salmond had been a “giant of man”, “an inspiration, a political genius” and “most of all a man who had the cause of independence burned into his heart and seared in his soul.”
Anas Sarwar and Gordon Brown in attendance (Image: PA)
Scottish duo the Proclaimers sang the pro-Scottish independence song Cap In Hand.
Brothers Craig and Charlie Reid said: “We’re going to do this for Alex, with love and respect and eternal gratitude for everything you did for our country.”
Those in attendance later sang Flower of Scotland while crowds chanted: “Alex, Alex.”