INDEPENDENCE supporters took to the streets across Scotland yesterday to hand out leaflets and set up stalls, with a giant Yes sign displayed outside Holyrood.
The National Day Of Indy Action was welcomed by activists across the country and praised for helping bring a “buzz” back to campaigning.
William Duguid was helping with the Yes Perth City group, which held a street stall in the city’s high street.
He said the day had been very successful, including unexpectedly distributing 300 of the Open Mind supplements.
“We thought we would probably distribute around half and then deliver the rest around doors,” he said. “But in fact we got rid of all of them – and there were people sitting on benches reading them.
“There were also so many volunteers turning out to help.
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“Bearing in mind the Yes movement has arguably been in a bit of a slump recently, to have that sort of response to the call to come out and do the stall. Our engagement with the public was also very good and we got a couple of new volunteers out of it, which was fantastic.”
A window display was also held at the Perth and Kinross Yes Hub, which has been open for just over three months.
“We have gradually been trying to get the enthusiasm going – the volunteers were champing at the bit to get out again,” Duguid said.
“Today I think there was a real buzz about the place. We are looking at doing another stall in October.
“It is important that it is not just a day of action, but it leads to enhanced activity within the Yes movement.”
Yes for EU created a colourful display of a giant Yes sign surrounded by all 27 EU flags outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.
The event was joined by SNP MP Joanna Cherry, who tweeted: “A big shout to all activists keeping the dream alive seven years on from 18 Sept 2014. I look forward to an independent Scotland taking its rightful place in Europe.”
SNP MP Tommy Sheppard (above), who also attended, tweeted: “Seven years ago today we were told to vote No if we wanted Scotland to stay in Europe. Now we know better.”
Yes for EU Convenor Morag Williamson said the event had gone well and included several members who are new Scots from EU countries speaking about why they love living in Scotland and want the country to gain independence and EU membership.
“We have pro-indy, pro-EU majority in the Parliament, thanks to the SNP and the Greens and we want to support them in their commitment to Scotland in the EU,” she said.
“Research has been done a few months ago to suggest that one of the main factors pushing people towards independence – people that perhaps voted No in 2014 – is their dissatisfaction with Brexit.
“The effects are taking place now, with the empty shelves and shortage of HGV drivers, I think people can see this is largely due to Brexit and it is not just due to Covid. We have carried on campaigning throughout Covid – within the restrictions we did all we could possibly do.”
Some of the other groups which took part included Yes Glasgow North West, which handed out leaflets and set up a series of stalls in the city.
English Scots for Yes had a stall in Helensburgh, while Yes Inverclyde delivered nearly 4000 pension leaflets, Open Minds papers and newsletters in the village of Inverkip and to high rise flats in Inverclyde.
There were stalls in Portobello, Ayr, Duns, Edinburgh and on Skye.
New group Yes South Fife Coast campaigned in Rosyth after holding its inaugural meeting the previous evening.
Harry Bickerstaff, of St Cyrus was working with his local SNP group in Aberdeenshire as well as helping Yes Montrose on a street stall.
He said: “One guy said to me isn’t it great to get started – but we have never stopped.
“We have been doing what we can, we try to leaflet in the nearby villages and it is not hard to get people to do it.
“We even had one volunteer come back from his holidays up north. He came home early to help us out today,” he added.
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