GLASGOW will see thousands of people taking part in over 50 Orange Order marches today.
Public processions were banned last year under coronavirus restrictions, and weren’t fully lifted during the traditional annual Battle of the Boyne celebrations usually held in July.
According to publicly available information on Glasgow City Council’s website, a total of 30 lodges and groupings have notified their intent for 51 separate marches in various locations across the city.
Many lodges are holding a procession in the morning and another in the afternoon, when many groups are expected to congregate in Glasgow Green.
READ MORE: Fury over body's Scottish accent claim to parents of private school children
It comes as Police Scotland warned they would not tolerate “offensive behaviour” from those taking part in marches and called for the day to “pass peacefully”.
A number of protestors, organised by anti-sectarian campaign group Call it Out, are also planning to hold peaceful demonstrations outside of two Catholic churches where the walks are due to pass by.
Despite the controversy, the head of Scotland’s Orange Order told the BBC he “doesn’t see sectarianism in the country”.
Meanwhile, anti-sectarian charity Nil By Mouth have called for a review on the policy around parades in Scotland and said the situation was “increasingly worrying”.
On Saturday morning, between 8.15am and 11am, there will be a staggering 26 separate processions with an estimated 8,000 people taking part across the city.
Thousands of people will take to the streets of Scotland's largest city
The largest of these, led by the County Grand Orange Lodge of Glasgow South Group, is expected to be made up of 1850 people, set to march from Clyde Place Quay to Glasgow Green.
In the afternoon, around 4000 people are set to take part in 25 individual processions from 1.45pm to 4pm. The largest, led by Loyal Orange Institution Govan District 42, is expected to be made up of 950 people marching from Glasgow Green to Brand Street.
Other processions range in the number attending from the hundreds, to a low of just 60 in some cases.
Call It Out, a charity which campaigns against anti-catholic bigotry, requested that three of the processions make “minor detours” to avoid passing Catholic Churches.
They said: “This was a fair, proportionate, and human rights-based request that would have balanced the rights of all including anti-Catholic organisations.
READ MORE: David Duguid has left UK Government position, Downing Street says
“Once again however Glasgow City Council and the Police Service of Scotland have ignored these calls and failed in their statutory obligation to consider or give equal weight to the human rights of Catholics and ultimately protect Catholics and Catholic places of worship.”
The Catholic churches are St. Benedict’s in Easterhouse where protestors will gather at 8:15am, and Blessed John Dun Scotus in the Gorbals at 2:00pm.
A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said that they had received and acknowledged the request from Call It Out, but were limited in what they could do.
They said: “The legislation that governs public processions starts from a position that people have a human right to march. It does not does not support councils imposing conditions or prohibitions other than on the grounds set out within part five of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 in relation to the likely effect on public safety, public order, damage to property or disruption to the life of the community.”
Meanwhile, Jim McHarg, Grand Master of the Orange Order, told the BBC: "For 200 years, there have been parades in this city with very, very little trouble, if that's the right terminology.”
He added: "I don't see sectarianism in this country.
Some smaller processions have gone ahead this year, but Saturday will be the first time they are on a larger scale
"I would say there's a form of bigotry, you might see 90-minute bigotry at football matches or whatever."
However, it comes as Deputy Chief Constable Will Kerr, one of Scotland’s top police officers who worked in Northern Ireland for 27 years, said he was “surprised by the level of sectarianism in Scotland”.
Nil By Mouth, another anti-sectarian charity, said it was time for a review into how marches are conducted in Scotland.
Dave Scott, Director at Nil by Mouth, said: ‘With 18 months of Covid restrictions, wider society might have been tempted to believe that emotions around parades in Glasgow had eased but in reality they have simply been in cold storage.
“It’s now 15 years since the Orr Report was published which mapped out best practice and policy on parades in Scotland.
“It may now be time for a similar review to be carried out to look at how we move forward as it’s clear that this isn’t an issue which is going to magically resolve itself.
READ MORE: Freeports: Scotland to set up own green ports after row with UK
“Dialogue will be the only way we make any progress on this complex and increasingly worrying situation.’ Ahead of Saturday’s marches, Police Scotland pleaded with attendees to act “safely, responsibly and respectfully”.
Chief Superintendent Mark Sutherland, Divisional Commander of Police Scotland's Greater Glasgow Police Division, said: "Our large policing operation will be focused on public safety and doing all we can with partners to reduce disruption to the wider community.
“We will however not tolerate offensive behaviour, including hate crimes, drunkenness and disorder and such behaviours, will be dealt with swiftly and proportionately.
“Where this is not possible during the event, we will launch follow-up investigations as necessary.
"We are aware that there may be those who wish to protest on the day against particular locations the processions will pass.
“We continue to work with these groups to ensure their rights are protected and would again urge everyone to show tolerance, and respect the rights of others."
Full list of processions for Saturday 18 September
As listed on Glasgow City Council's website
8.15am
Greater Easterhouse Truth Defenders L.O.L. District No. 17
Start: Baldinnie Road End: Brunstaine Road
Participants: 100
St Rollox Orange & Purple District 10
Start: Broomfield Road End: Millarbank Street
Participants: 50
St Rollox Orange & Purple District 10
Start: Auchinairn Road End: Millarbank Street
Participants: 200
Dalmarnock O&P District No. 50
Start: Mordaunt Street End: Glenpark Street
Patricipants: 95
8.30am
Drumchapel Orange & Purple District 57
Start: Orange Hall, Kilfauns Drive, Drumchapel End: Dalsetter Avenue
Patricipants: 200
Maryhill Orange and Purple District 46
Start: Sandbank Crescent End: Corn Street
Participants: 60
Orange & Purple District Lodge No 12
Start: Aberfeldy Street End: Glenpark Street
Participants: 300
Parkhead Bluebell L.O.L. 129
Start: Quarryknowe Street End: Quarryknowe Street
Participants: 100
Shettleston Guiding Star of Freedom L.O.L. 180
Start: Academy Street End: Quarryknowe Street
Participants: 100
Tollcross Purple Star L.O.L. 84
Start: Causewayside St Industrial Estate End: Quarryknowe St
Participants: 100
9am
Glasgow Orange and Purple District No. 3
Start: Wishart Street End: Corn Street
Participants: 150
Parkhead Orange and Purple District No. 21
Start: Quarryknowe Street End: Glenpark Street
Participants: 300
PARTICK ORANGE & PURPLE DISTRICT NO15
Start: Crawford Halls End: Kelvingrove Park
Participants: 100
Whiteinch orange and purple district no7
Start: Northinch Street End: Kelvingrove Park
Participants: 70
9.15am
Loyal Orange Institution Govan District 42
Start: Midlock Street End: Brand Street
Participants: 120
St Rollox Orange & Purple District 10
Start: Millarbank Street End: Corn Street
Participants: 200
Thornliebank and Pollokshaws LOL28
Start: Spiersbridge Avenue End: Shawbridge Street
Participants: 200
9.30am
Cowcaddens Orange and Purple District 11
Start: Sunnylaw Street End: Edington Street/Corn Street
Participants: 200
County Grand Orange Lodge of Glasgow - Colour Party
Start: Cathedral Square, Glasgow Evangelical Church End: Glasgow Green
Patricipants: 100
9.40am
County Grand Orange Lodge of Glasgow - East Group
Start: Glenpark Street End: Glasgow Green
Start time: 9.40am Participants: 1070
9.45am
Kelvingrove Orange and Purple District 29
Start: Haugh Road End: Kelvingrove Park
Participants: 150
10am
County Grand Orange Lodge of Glasgow - North Group
Start: Corn Street/Edington Street End: Glasgow Green
Participants: 1010
Glasgow Southside Orange & Purple District No.49
Start: Maxwell Road/Barrland Street End: Commerce Street
Participants: 400
Loyal Orange Institution Govan District 42
Start: Brand Street End: Commerce Street
Participants: 950
10.20am
County Grand Orange Lodge of Glasgow - West Group
Start: Kelvingrove Park End: Glasgow Green
Participants: 650
11am
County Grand Orange Lodge of Glasgow - South Group
Start: Clyde Place Quay End: Glasgow Green
Participants: 1850
1.45pm
Drumchapel Orange & Purple District 57
Start: Glasgow Green End: Wishart Street
Patricipants: 200
Glasgow Orange and Purple District No. 3
Start: Glasgow Green End: North Wallace Street
Patricipants: 150
Greater Easterhouse Truth Defenders L.O.L. District No. 17
Start: Glasgow Green End: Glenpark Street
Participants: 100
Kelvingrove Orange and Purple District 29
Start: Glasgow Green End: Haugh Road
Participants: 150
Maryhill Orange and Purple District 46
Start: Glasgow Green End: Sandbank Street
Participants: 60
Orange And Purple District 37
Start: Glasgow Green End: Main Street
Participants: 150
Parkhead Orange and Purple District No. 21
Start: Glasgow Green End: Quarryknowe Street
Participants: 220
Patrick Orange & Purple District NO15
Start: Glasgow Green End: Beith Street
Participants: 100
Shettleston Guiding Star of Freedom L.O.L. 180
Start: Glasgow Green End: Chester Street
Participants: 100
St Rollox Orange & Purple District 10
Start: Saltmarket End: Millarbank street
Participants: 200
Whiteinch orange and purple district no7
Start: Glasgow Green End point: Northinch Street
Participants: 70
2pm
County Grand Orange Lodge of Glasgow - Colour Party
Start: Glasgow Green End: Glasgow Evangelical Church
Participants: 100
Cowcaddens Orange and Purple District 11
Start: Saltmarket, Glasgow Green End: Sunnylaw Street
Patricipants: 150
Dalmarnock O&P District No. 50
Start: Glasgow Green End: Mordaunt Street
Patricipants: 120
Dumbarton Orange & Purple District LOL No.27
Start: Glasgow Green End: Wishart Street
Participants: 60
Glasgow Southside Orange & Purple District No.49
Start: Glasgow Green End: Barrland Street
Participants: 200
Orange & Purple District 12 LOL153 & LLOL174
Start: Saltmarket End: Wishart Street
Participants: 100
Orange & Purple District 40
Start: Glasgow Green End: Mordaunt Street
Participants: 120
Orange & Purple District Lodge No12
Start: Glasgow Green End: Aberfeldy Street
Participants: 300
Rutherglen Orange and Purple District 20
Start: Nelson Monument, Glasgow Green End: Queen Mary Avenue
Participants: 200
2.15pm
Loyal Orange Institution Govan District 42
Start: Glasgow Green End: Brand Street
Participants: 950
Thornliebank and Pollokshaws LOL28
Start: Cleeves Road End: Haughburn Road
Participants: 200
3.15pm
Greater Easterhouse Truth Defenders L.O.L. District No. 17
Start: Brunstaine Road End point: Baldinnie Road
Participants: 100
3.45pm
Thornliebank and Pollokshaws LOL28
Start: Titwood Road End: Spiersbridge Avenue
Participants: 200
4pm
Drumchapel Orange & Purple District 57
Start: Essenside Avenue End point: Kinfauns Drive
Participants: 200
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