Yes, there’s a right to march, but let’s take the heat out

YOU cannot ban an organisation from holding a procession on the streets because you disagree with their beliefs, principles or opinions.

Another committee will be convened by Glasgow City Council to decide on imposing a new route on another march past the catholic church where a priest was allegedly attacked during an Orange Order parade in July.

This time it is the Royal Black Preceptory who want to march a route that passes the church.

They have a right in law to apply to walk this route. It is a route they have walked many times in the past, without incident, and no doubt will again in the future.

Earlier this month the Orange Order, a separate organisation, cancelled a parade rather than accept the re-routing imposed by the council. This was after it postponed a previous march in July in the wake of the alleged incident outside allowed to march past the church again.

A de-facto ban on certain organisations marching past one church is not sustainable in the long term.

A complete ban on marching past places of worship is even more unsustainable.

In agreeing to temporary alterations, they would have been shown to have recognised the concerns and accepted the advice of the police.

However, they may well be taking a principled stance that they should be allowed to march and any protests should be dealt with by the police.

It could be seen as the thin end of a wedge and they will not concede any ground to those who wish to see them banned altogether.

But if the purpose of the march is to lay a wreath at the cenotaph in George Square, then the route taken to get there should be a secondary consideration.

Why would it matter to the participants whether they march past St Alphonsus church or not?

The matter of the alleged assault on Canon Tom White is yet to be dealt with by the courts.

There is heightened tension following the incident and it would be wise to let justice take its course and not inflame the situation.

The Orange Order and other organisations will have to be allowed at some point to march along London Road again.

They are being prevented from doing so just now because of public safety concerns, not because of what they stand for.

Because there are laws against that sort of thing.

What we will be left with is the behaviour of people who follow processions but who are not members which has been a long-standing issue in Glasgow.

A greater sense of responsibility will have to be accepted in the future and measures put in place to stamp it out.