ALL Under One Banner (AUOB) came out fighting yesterday despite the chief organiser of their march and rally for independence in Glasgow, Manny Singh, being reported by Police Scotland to the Procurator Fiscal over the timing of Saturday’s event.
AUOB confirmed that Singh will fight his prosecution “all the way” and yesterday they lodged their application for next year’s march and rally in Glasgow for Saturday, May 2, 2020.
Singh, 39, was the named organiser for Saturday’s march and rally which saw an estimated 100,000 people participate from Kelvingrove Park to Glasgow Green.
Now he has been reported to the Procurator Fiscal for an alleged offence under Section 65 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.
READ MORE: All Under One Banner chief has been charged over Glasgow march
He had been told by Glasgow City Council to start the march at 11am instead of the 1.30pm start he had intimated to the council many months previously.
The council has refused to comment on the issue saying it is inappropriate to comment on an ongoing police matter, but questions are being asked by activists as to why two SNP and one Scottish Greens council on the Public Processions Committee insisted on the early start after Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said there might be “significant disruption” caused by the later start.
There was also some confusion because the council’s website later showed the march starting at 11.30am.
In the event there were no arrests of marchers or organised counter demonstrators. There were two arrests for public order offences, and The National understands that one involved an individual trying to tear down pro-independence signs.
A petition was started in support of Singh but the hosts, the 38 Degrees organisation, took it down because it concerned a police investigation, though not before 3000 people had signed it to ask that charges against Singh be dropped.
Singh issued a statement about the case on Monday night and it is being shared widely on social media, with 3700 likes and 1500 shares as of yesterday afternoon.
READ: All Under One Banner’s full statement after being reported by police
He told The National: “I am getting a lot of support from all over Scotland and beyond. I am more determined than ever to fight this all the way.
“People can see the sense of what I said about not changing the timing because so many people had made travel plans.
“The matter is with the Procurator Fiscal and, I suspect, the Crown Office.
“In my defence I will be citing the European Convention of Human Rights which says that freedom of assembly is an inalienable right.
“I am sure these laws don’t comply with the convention because they were put in place at the time of Margaret Thatcher probably in order to stop workers protesting at closure of pits and factories.
“This is not just about me, it’s an attack on the Yes movement.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel