4 marches get go-ahead as police say it’ll defuse trouble
FOUR loyalist marches will take place i n Scotland’s biggest city tomorrow despite fears of sectarian disorder.
Six parades were banned last weekend after violence at events in previous weeks.
But the embargo by Glasgow City Council resulted in hundreds of people protesting against the crackdown in front of the City Chambers.
Yesterday, the local authority’s public processions committee said four loyalist parades would go ahead tomorrow as planned.
Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins said: ‘If the processions were banned, some form of protest and disorder could still take place and the policing profile for Saturday would therefore be similar.
‘If the processions go ahead it would allow us to continue to engage with organisers to ensure balanced rights were upheld and to police the events under conditions agreed by the council.’
He added: ‘I need to appeal to people who plan on taking part in processions or counterprotests to do so peacefully.
‘We will have a range of policing resources – including a range of specialist assets – in attendance and will take any necessary action against anyone causing disruption.
‘The decision to amend the route or the timing, or to prohibit any procession, is a matter for the local authority.’
Late last month, a riot erupted after loyalist protesters tried to halt a r epublican parade through Govan, Glasgow.
The following weekend, 11 people were arrested as two republican marches through the centre of the city were confronted by loyalist counterdemonstrations. A police officer was injured by a firework.
The council then decided to ban four loyalist parades and a republican march that had been scheduled for last weekend.
The move sparked a protest organised by the group Scottish Protestants Against Discrimination. Hundreds of demonstrators, i ncl uding members of the Orange Order, gathered at the City Chambers, on George Square.
Yesterday, the council said police had warned there could be serious disorder if a Pride of Govan Flute Band procession scheduled for tomorrow was banned. Three smaller parades will also go ahead. A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: ‘The council has been placed in an impossible position in relation to the parade in Govan.
‘Police Scotland has said that, should the procession not go ahead, many of the 800 people due to take part will react angrily – which could lead to violence and a significant impact on the local community.
‘We deeply regret that the wider community in Govan will be subject to this disruption.
‘However, police have made it absolutely clear that this could be made worse if these people are not allowed to march.’
He added: ‘The council has asked the organisers to voluntarily withdraw this notification, which they have refused to do.
‘We are appealing to them to reconsider and think about the impact of their actions on the community in Govan and on tensions across the city. We call on other groups not to mount protests against the march.’
‘Could lead to violence’