THE All Under One Banner (AUOB) march and rally for independence scheduled for Saturday in Aberdeen can go ahead as planned after councillors approved the event yesterday.

A spokesman for AUOB said: “There is no variation on the route that we agreed and no variation on the timing so we are good to go with the biggest ever demonstration for independence that Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland has seen to date.”

AUOB had said on its application for the march and rally that it anticipated 10,000 participants but early signs are that up to double that number could take part in Aberdeen on Saturday.

The spokesman said: “We are expecting thousands to take part and we’ll find out on Saturday just how many will be there.”

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Aberdeen City Council’s licensing sub-committee voted to approve the march and rally subject to conditions which they say are “necessary for public safety”.

AUOB objected to some of the conditions – all of them recommendations from Police Scotland – at the meeting but the main stumbling blocks were resolved as there will be sufficient stewards and a temporary traffic regulation order is in place.

A spokesman for AUOB said: “We will happily meet the condition on the number of stewards and the traffic regulation order is taken care of.

“They asked us to pay for the order but we cannot afford it and we told them that.”

Councillor John Reynolds, the Licensing Sub-Committee convener said: “Aberdeen City Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee has agreed to issue an order permitting the procession by All Under One Banner subject to conditions deemed necessary for public safety.”

The police recommendations stated: “It is anticipated there will be approximately 10,000 participants in the parade. There will be approximately 500 volunteer stewards along the route.”

The route of the march, which will start promptly at 1.30pm, was approved by the committee which consists of five councillors.

AUOB had wanted to the procession to go from Castlegate to Duthie Park but the route is now confirmed as gathering at Albyn Place and then march to Castlegate via Union Street and Castle Street.

The national executive of AUOB said they were happy with the march ending at Castlegate where the rally can take place.

A spokesman said: “It’s a good location and we will not need to erect any extra staging.”

At yesterday afternoon’s meeting, the councillors were given three options – to grant permission without any additional conditions; to give permission subject to additional conditions, or to prohibit the march.

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AUOB argued that articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which deal with freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, should mean that the march should go ahead.

There was an objection to the march by a member of the public but this was overruled and the committee voted to grant permission subject to the conditions.

It has been reported that AUOB has had internal problems recently, and one outcome is that the organisation is going to change the way it funds its activities.

Bucket collections will no longer take place at any AUOB event and a group spokesman said: “If anyone approaches any of the marchers on Saturday asking for donations to be put into a bucket then please inform the nearest steward as there will be no such bucket collection.”