PRO-INDEPENDENCE campaign group All Under One Banner (AUOB) has revealed its plans to host monthly demonstrations as lockdown restrictions are eased, beginning next month.
AUOB announced the series of regular demonstrations will kick off in Edinburgh on July 20, before moving on to Stirling and Glasgow in August and September.
The group says the demonstrations will be managed very carefully with “safety as the priority” – and each one will be accompanied with a national day of action.
READ MORE: Support for Scottish independence soars to 54 per cent
AUOB added once coronavirus lockdown restrictions are relaxed sufficiently, they will organise marches and rallies as it has done in the past.
The group had to cancel its planned series of marches and rallies through Scotland’s cities amid the pandemic, and has held been holding regular online talks on issues relating to independence since.
Announcing the new demos, organiser Neil Mackay said: “The events of 2020 so far have underlined that AUOB is a dynamic organisation which can respond quickly and effectively to any circumstances. In 2014 the No campaign thought that they had buried us.
“In March this year others thought that the current crisis would end our campaign. They could not have been more wrong. The only way that Scotland will regain its independence is to be bold, to be brave, and to be imaginative and that is what All Under One Banner is about. You don’t change the world by asking nicely. We persist and we persevere in continuing this country’s march towards freedom.”
AUOB organiser Carol McNamara said while she’d enjoyed seeing independence supporters come together online through the group’s online events, she is looking forward to resuming marches and rallies. “The polls show a consistent majority in favour of independence and we’re mobilising the people to win that.”
The group’s announcement comes days after a Panelbase survey put support for Scottish independence at 54% - the highest figure since 2015.
Further information will be released on the planned demonstrations shortly. The first will take place in Edinburgh on Monday, July 20, the second in Stirling on August 19 an the third in Glasgow on September 17.
Currently, Scotland is in phase two of lockdown. People are allowed to meet up with others from up to two households outdoors as long as people from separate households stay two metres apart at all times. Currently no more than eight people are allowed to meet in one group.
However despite restrictions, protests have taken place in cities across the UK in recent weeks.
Following violent scenes in George Square last week, when far-right thugs targeted a demonstration for improved asylum seekers’ living conditions, police encouraged people due to attend a Stand Up to Racism rally to “find another way” to protest during lockdown.
At that rally, attendees were encouraged to wear face masks, bring hand sanitiser, and stay two metres away from others participating in the protest.
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