MSP tells city council there is a case to ban Orange Walks
A GLASGOW politician has told the city council there is an argument to ban the Orange Walk after Saturday’s hate crime against a Catholic priest.
The SNP’s James Dornan also criticised Police Scotland’s handling of the incident which saw Canon Tom Whit of St Alphonsus Church in the Barras spat on twice before being lunged at by a man with a baton outside his East End church.
The MSP for Glasgow Cathcart said he was “appalled” to hear of the incident where the priest was also allegedly called a “fenian b******.”
He wrote to Glasgow City Council’s Processions Committee and said: “Surely, after the weekend, we can agree that business cannot be allowed to continue as normal.”
“There is an argument that such marches should not be permitted to continue at all, however, at the very least, they should not be allowed to travel past places of worship.
“Within the Archdiocese of Glasgow’s statement publicising the shocking treatment of Canon White and his parishioners, it is referenced that the police ‘had been guarding the church’. If it is indeed the case that police were having to guard places of worship during the walk, then I feel such walks should not be granted permission by the council.”
He said he “fully respects the right to freedom of assembly and of association,” but added: “The public has the right not to be subject to intimidation, physical assault, or sectarian behaviour.
Turning his attention to Police Scotland, he also wrote to top cop Iain Livingstone.
Mr Dornan said: “If it is indeed the case that police were having to guard places of worship during the walk, then I feel Police Scotland has a case to oppose policing such events.
“From testimonies online of the incident, which of course I can’t verify, allegations are made that there were police present at the time, however, no immediate action was taken. I would be grateful whether you could confirm if police did witness the incident, and if so, explain why no immediate action was forthcoming.
“I was disappointed with the phrase used by Police Scotland initially describing the assault in a statement as ‘minor in nature’.
Police renewed an appeal for information about the attack yesterday, saying they believed a man with a shaved head, aged 20 to 30, was involved.