Rally for independent Wales to be held in Caernarfon – as county council becomes first to give its backing:
PEOPLE from all over Wales and further afield are set to march in Caernarfon in favour of Welsh independence this weekend.
The rally in Caernarfon on Saturday has been arranged by All Under One Banner (AUOB) Cymru, which organised a march in Cardiff in May attended by nearly 3,000 supporters.
The event this weekend will be the organisation’s first march in North Wales, and follows Gwynedd’s decision to become the first local authority to declare its support for Welsh independence.
Councillors there backed a motion with an overwhelming majority in favour of Wales becoming a sovereign nation.
Buses are travelling from Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Wrexham to take campaigners to the march.
Llywelyn ap Gwilym, one of the organisers of the event, said: “The march in Cardiff was a great success, with people travelling from all over the country and further afield to our capital. The intention was always for it to be the first of many marches.
“We wanted the second march to be in the north, somewhere with strong existing support for independence to build momentum, and somewhere with a small but dedicated group of people who we could rely on to organise a successful event. Caernarfon fits the bill.”
More than 1,300 people have so far said on the event’s Facebook page that they want to join the march.
Mr ap Gwilym said: “It will be a fantastic day. We’ve got an amazing line-up for the rally – speakers, comedians, musicians, poets and a beat boxer.
“But we’re also building on what worked so well in Cardiff, so there are some talks organised, and a gig headlined by I Fight Lions in the evening.”
Speakers will include Scottish comedian and activist Hardeep Singh Kohli, legendary singer Dafydd Iwan, and championship beat boxer Ed Holden.
Mr Singh Kohli, who is also a supporter of Scottish independence, said: “While bowed, our Celtic cousins have never been broken. It is time for Wales, like Scotland, to become a nation restored.
“From Flint Castle to Chepstow in the south, it is time for the land of song to once again sing their own song.”
According to a recent YouGov poll, support for Welsh independence is at 36%, while support for leaving Westminster politicians in charge has fallen below 50% for the first time since polling on the subject started.
Mr ap Gwilym said: “There’s more coverage of independence in the media, there’s more talk about it with our politicians, but most importantly there’s more talk about it with the ordinary people on the street. The march in Caernarfon is a great opportunity for indy-confident supporters to celebrate that fact.
“But it’s also a great opportunity for the indy-curious to come and learn what the movement is all about.”
The march will begin at 1pm from Victoria Dock Car Park, and will proceed along Balaclava Road, Northgate Street, Palace Street, and around the castle, before finishing on Castle Square with a rally.
County becomes first to back independence: Page 10
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