Call for city to stop flying Union flag on King’s birthday
A COUNCILLOR wants to stop flying the Union flag above the City Chambers on the King’s birthday.
Dan Hutchison, of the Scottish Greens, has put forward a motion that would change the council’s flag protocol which would see the Union flag no longer flown on seven specific occasions.
He said the current protocol does not represent the values of modern- day Glasgow and proposed changes.
He wants to remove certain dates from the flag flying protocol.
They include the birthdays of King Charles on November 14; the birthday of Camilla, HM The Queen Consort, on July 17; Princess Anne on August 15; William, Prince of Wales, on June 21; Catherine, Princess of Wales, on January 9; Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, on March 10; and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, on January 20.
Instead, he wants to add new dates to mark other occasions.
Councillor Hutchison wants to fly the red flag on May Day, May 1; the Italian flag on Liberation Day, April 25; the French flag on Bastille Day, July 14; and the Pakistan flag on Independence Day, August 14.
He also wants the Ukraine flag, the German flag and the Cuban flag flown on significant dates for those countries – with Glasgow twinned with cities in each of those countries. On November 20, Trans Remembrance Day, he calls for the Transgender Flag to be flown, and the Palestine flag on November 29 for International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
His motion, to be debated next week at the council, states: “Council agrees that its current flag protocol does not adequately reflect the progressive and internationally minded city of the modern day.
“Council agrees that adopting flags such as the Transgender Flag and the Red Flag signifies support for both Glasgow’s transgender community and workers, in a similar vein as the current protocol does with International Women’s Day and International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.
“Council also agrees that Glasgow is an international city, with a rich history of migration, and with a vibrant twin city scheme
“Council also agrees that a flag should be flown to celebrate Lunar New Year and our twinning with Dalian, however, due to specific political sensitivities regarding the Chinese state’s treatment of the Uyghurs, as well as the ongoing occupation of Tibet, the council will undertake consultation to determine the best way to celebrate Lunar New Year while extending our solidarity with the aforementioned groups.”