MANNY Singh, the chief organiser of the successful march and rally for independence in Glasgow on Saturday, has been reported to the procurator fiscal by police for refusing to comply with the 11am start time imposed by SNP-led Glasgow City Council.
Despite there being no arrests and no trouble at the march in which up to 100,000 people are estimated to have taken part, Singh was visited by police officers at his home on Monday morning.
READ MORE: Praise for police as 100,000 join march for independence in Glasgow
He was reported under Section 65 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 which states that anyone convicted of holding a procession that does not comply with the relevant council order can be sentenced to imprisonment for a period of up to three months.
All Under One Banner, for which Singh is the operations director, had been ordered by the Public Processions Committee – comprising two SNP members and a Greens councillor – to gather the marchers at Kelvingrove Park and start the march at 11.30am, two hours earlier than planned, after the emergency services warned of possible “significant disruption” in the city centre.
After meeting with senior police officers, Singh went ahead with the 1.30pm start having given them several assurances regarding public safety.
Singh told The National: “There are demonstrations happening all over Britain just now that don’t have one per cent of the planning and organisation that we put into the Glasgow march which was entirely peaceful.
“We told the police and the council a year ago what time we would start. We had people coming from far and near and we just couldn’t change the start time at the last minute.
“I will be defending this charge to the fullest, and will cite the freedom of assembly section of the European Convention of Human Rights.
“Freedom can never be won by bending the knee.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Police Scotland can confirm that a 39-year-old man will be the subject of a report to the Procurator Fiscal for failing to comply with conditions imposed on a procession."
A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: "It would be inappropriate for us to comment on an ongoing police matter."
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