RECENT polling data suggests that a majority of Glaswegians are in favour of banning Orange Walks.
The Censuswide Scotland survey found that 67% of the city's population would support the ban - a figure that is ten per cent higher than the Scotland-wide average.
The poll follows recent events which saw Canon Tom White spat on, verbally abused and lunged at by a man with a baton outside his church as an Orange Walk was passing by.
The survey spoke with 1,100 people, 351 of which were from Glasgow.
Matt Poole, general manager of Censuswude Scotland, said: “While useful for understanding the wider context on an issue, opinions are not always rooted in hard facts and figures, which is why we decided to carry out this particular piece of research.”
The data also revealed that 28 per cent of Glaswegians were in favour of banning the Orange Order altogether.
Over 50 per cent of respondants said that they supported a ban as they found the walks intimidating.
Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “It is clear from the responses to this survey that there is a strength of feeling, particularly in Glasgow, about parades and processions but also a recognition of freedom of expression and right of assembly.
“It is also notable that those opposing Loyal Order parades are, in the main, doing so on the basis of their association with crime, disorder and sectarianism.
“In recent weeks I have publicly stated that the organisers of certain parades too often ignore the impact that the frequency of their parades and the behaviours of those they attract have on the city and its communities. This cannot continue.
“Recent incidents have led to a renewed focus on the role of the council in relation to parades and processions.”
Scottish Greens councillor Jon Molyneux said: “Clearly given the strength of feeling on this issue, this needs to be looked at afresh so that the council has the powers to stop or curtail marches where there are genuine concerns over sectarianism.”
However, those who oppose a ban cited freedom of speech and religion as reasons to block such a move.
A Scottish Conservatives spokesman stated work has to be done after the “unsavoury” scenes in July, before stating “But banning these walks is not the answer and would be unfair on the vast majority of those who take part responsibly.”
A spokesman for the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland claimed: “We note that the pollsters only spoke with 351 people in Glasgow which has a population of 1.2 million.
“To try and suggest that this figure is representative of opinion in Glasgow simply isn’t credible.”
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