ORGANISERS of next weekend’s All Under One Banner (AUOB) march say they can not understand why they have been denied the use of Holyrood Park for next weekend’s rally on the grounds that the event is political in nature.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) informed AUOB on Monday that Holyrood Park’s public roads could be used for the march on October 6, but the rally segment would be refused as it would be political in nature.
“We do not accept this political discrimination wrapped up as taking a stance on political neutrality,” AUOB wrote on its Facebook page. Organiser Gary Kelly of AUOB told The National that he could not understand HES’s attitude, as the recent Processions event to commemorate the Suffragettes was political in nature.
READ MORE: Holyrood Park ruled out as a venue for Edinburgh AUOB march
Kelly said: “They have known about this for some time and only told us on Monday.
“All the other authorities such as the council and the police have been working with us to ensure the safety of all participants and the route has all been agreed.”
The group believes that Holyrood is the only venue that could accommodate in excess of 30,000 people in that area of Edinburgh.
The route of the march element has already been approved by Edinburgh Council with advice from Police Scotland and is basically down the Royal Mile from the Castle to the Scottish Parliament.
As per their usual format in each of the four previous marches they have organised this year, AUOB had intended to install a stage and stalls in the park at an area which is often used for public events but this has now been denied to them.
HES said they were “willing to accommodate” the part of the march that would use our road network between Horse Wynd through to Holyrood Gait, “however any staging, branding and other static presence would have to be placed off the PiC [Property in Care] area”.
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“We do not permit political events of any nature to take place within our properties in care. On this basis, we have not granted permission.”
It is understood that The Meadows, situated to the south of the city centre, could be used as an alternative venue.
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