Loyalist protest over ban on marches in Glasgow
Glasgow police will launch an extensive policing operation if any processions take place in Glasgow this weekend.
Six Loyalist and Republican marches planned for today and Sunday were banned by Glasgow City Council on police advice following two weekends of violence.
It is understood no appeals were launched against the council’s decisions.
However, Scottish Protestants Against Discrimination are set to protest against the council in George Square today – and Orange Lodge Grand Master Jim McGarg has urged his members to join the “peaceful assembly”.
Chief Superintendent Hazel Hendren, divisional commander for the Greater Glasgow Division, has promised anyone intent on causing trouble in the city will be dealt with.
“Any procession which takes place will be subject to a comprehensive policing operation,” she said. “Anyone who is intent on criminality or antisocial behaviour will be dealt with appropriately.”
On Thursday, council leader Susan Aitken said the authority would consider “every option available to us”, including whether a “moratorium (a temporary ban) on such marches in the interest of public safety would be workable and provide all stakeholders with the breathing space needed to find a longer term solution”.
“Whatever we thought we knew about parades and processions and sectarianism in many ways is now in the past.
“We all have to attempt to understand this new situation we are facing, which is about organised political violence and to understand that we collectively need to pull together.
“There has been attempts, including in the chamber of the Scottish Parliament, to apportion blame to elected members in this chamber for the disorder which took place.
“Let me be clear, no councillor nor council officer bears any responsibility for the behaviour of thugs, hooligans, sectarian bigots and those who use our streets to support terrorist organisations.”
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has backed Ms Aitken’s suggestion of a possible moratorium. He said “Glasgow had had enough” of the violence and disruption that recent marches have caused.
In response to the council’s decision to ban this weekend’s marches, the Republican Network for Unity, which had planned to march, said: “Processions that had taken place weeks earlier were met with counter demonstrations.
“It has been suggested that these same protesters turned their attention to our commemoration and had already started a social media campaign to get as many as possible to attend at a prearranged meeting point on our route, however we challenge the accuracy of this information.
“Republican Network for Unity Scotland demand to know was the decision taken solely on the information on social media? We hear reports daily of misinformation throughout the internet.”
The statement added: “We also query will the same protocol be adopted on Remembrance Sunday and the 12th of July to other people who also gather to remember their fallen comrades who also were combatants in war.”
Senior members of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland claimed the council’s decision is illegal. Mr McHarg said: “It is a sad day for democracy when a narrow minded band of anti-unionist nationalist councillors, aided and abetted by Police Scotland, abuse the law and introduce illegal measures that curtail a citizen’s right of peaceful assembly.”
They also moved to distance themselves from groups involved in heated incidents with police in the past fortnight.
Urging people to attend today’s protest, Mr McHarg added: “This is not a parade that requires notice, instead, this will be a peaceful assembly under the Human Rights Act. Come along, be seen, wear your colours and let it be known that we will not be bullied off our City streets.
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