THE Scottish Tory leader faces criticism for claiming it was “unacceptable” that Nicola Sturgeon waited 48 hours to condemn a Scottish Border protest this weekend.

The First Minister said yesterday that the protest, which saw a small group of independence supporters stand at the Border with a banner saying “keep Scotland Covid free”, was not “sensible or helpful”.

The small group gathered at the side of the A1 on Saturday wearing protective overalls and warning people to “stay out” of Scotland. Senior SNP figures like Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf and MP Pete Wishart condemned the protest shortly after it took place.

READ MORE: Scottish Border protest: What those there have to say

The protest came after a week of tensions between the UK and Scottish governments, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson claiming there was no such thing as a Scottish Border. His comment was in response to the First Minister’s refusal to rule out Border restrictions if public health advice suggested it was necessary to limit the spread of coronavirus in Scotland.

Sturgeon was asked directly about the protest at the daily Scottish Government briefing yesterday, and she agreed with Yousaf.

She told reporters: "The people who protested at the border did not speak for me, they were not there on my behalf or communicating a message that I endorse in any way. I would emphatically say I do not endorse that."

On the Border row itself, the SNP leader went on: "This is not a question about whether people in England are welcome in Scotland - of course they are, just as people in Scotland are hopefully welcome in England. It's about public health and I will take decisions based on protecting the people of Scotland if there is a risk to public health.

"That is not political or constitutional and it is certainly not based on any desire to keep English people out of Scotland."

"I don't approve of the protests, and I would ask people not to protest on the Border because I don't think it is a particularly sensible or helpful thing to do.

"I can't be clearer than I have been - the SNP is an open and welcoming party and Scotland is an open and welcoming country, and that kind of protest is not something I condone or endorse in any way, shape or form."

Those who attended the protest have told The National they vehemently deny accusations of racism and have defended their presence on the Border at the weekend. They insisted their message was solely about coronavirus transmission.

Writing on Twitter this morning, Jackson Carlaw said: “It is unacceptable that it took Nicola Sturgeon 48 hours to condemn racist border protests, dragged out of her at a press conference.

 “If any of these protestors are SNP members, she must send a clear message by immediately expelling them from her party.”

Ross Colquhoun replied to the MSP: “Nicola Sturgeon has been at the forefront of condemning racism and bigotry both domestically and internationally. You, however, have not even had the courage to speak up about racism within your own party.”

And Chris McEleny asked Carlaw where the condemnation has been for other recent protests from his party. He said: “How many of the Loyalist thugs on the streets of Glasgow were Tory members? What did you do to find out which of these racists were Tory members? How many have you expelled?”

Lecturer Dr Malcolm Harvey compared the situation to another scandal involving the Prime Minister’s top adviser.

He posted: “Aw, mate. When Dominic Cummings was caught getting his eye test, the media couldn't find you for a week.

“When the FM was asked directly about this at a press briefing, she fully and categorically condemned the protest. But tell me more about manufactured grievances …”