Orange Walk must go different way

An Orange march that was to pass a church where a Catholic priest was spat on has been rerouted after police warned of potential for significant disorder.

The original route for the Apprentice Boys of Derry (Bridgeton) Easter Sunday parade would have passed St Alphonsuschurchinglasgow where Father Thomas White was targeted as an Orange walk went by on 7 July last year. Father White was spat on as he spoke to parishioners outside the place of worship in London Road.

Bradley Wallace was jailed for ten months in February after admitting assaulting the priest – a charge aggravated by religious prejudice.

Glasgow City Council rerouted the procession, which will go from Tullis Street to Cathedral Square and back again, away from the church.

The decision was made at a meeting yesterday.

A council spokesman said: “Members chose to reroute the procession after hearing serious concerns, raised by Police Scotland, about the potential for disorder due to protests and counter-protests from people opposing or supporting the event.”

The Archdiocese of Glasgow welcomed the decision to change the route of the march, tweeting: “The right of ordinary people to go to Mass on Easter morning free from intimidation and fear is one that must be respected and defended.”