SOME pretty disturbing responses to the clampdown on freedom of speech during that massive waste of money, time, and effort in London on Saturday. From the responses to the concerns raised, it would seem that some are pleased with the looming and quite real prospect of living with the heel of the jackboot on their throat?

Just as Downing Street flexed its authoritarian fascist dogma in implementing the Section 35 against the Scottish Parliament, we have seen on Saturday that they will not cower from doing the same to suppress the freedom of speech.

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The voter ID disenfranchisement is the third step by this government most corrupt sitting in its festering nest of Downing Street, a nest built to control the brutalising and subjection of this small North Atlantic archipelago.

It is said that history is a great teacher. Well, no it is not, otherwise we would not be walking silently into the eye of the fascist storm. We do this with little or no chance of reaching that calm spot, as the winds are at their most violent just before the eye.

Scotland has an escape route, we have the vehicle that has room for all. It has a resoundingly powerful engine, but an engine requiring both oxygen and fuel.

The oxygen we will get from our rallies and marches, invigorated by accurate reporting from the media. Our fuel? Well, that is where each and every one of us come in.

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Guys and girls, this is the bit where I ask for perseverance, endeavour, and the taking of opportunities. And no, I am not referring to the robotic explorers on Mars, but I am, talking about our fortitude. This is a wall the fascist has no answer for.

They obviously know that the northern protectorate is in open rebellion and that nothing they have done since 2014 has diverted its path.

How scared must the fascists be as they sit in that nest of rancid intolerance looking at the future and knowing that Scotland will not be part of it.

After all, all the king’s men and all the king’s horses could not put this broken Union together again.

Cliff Purvis
Veterans for Scottish Independence 2.0

I FELT compelled to attend a republican meeting at Calton Hill to express my protest at the lavish, no-expenses-spared coronation of Charles III.

I was taken aback and heartened at the large turnout.

Like-minded people from a number of political beliefs were in attendance. Followers of the SNP, the Greens, socialists and syndicalists and anti-monarchists in general. Under the Doric columns of Edinburgh’s disgrace, people had come together to protest at the even greater disgrace of the ongoing theatrical farce in London.

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Even nature itself was in a state of rebellion; there were glowering skies and descending mists.

Then news came through that peaceful protesters in London had been arrested for giving expression to their democratic right to protest.

Make no mistake, this is the deliberate suppression of people’s democratic rights by the Metropolitan “thought” police more akin to Putin’s Russia and shows just how fragile democracy is in the UK.

It prompted a chorus from the crowd at Calton Hill, “you can stick your coronation up your arse.”

Sandy Gordon
Edinburgh

I WRITE in response to Sunday’s Long Letter by Gareth Morgan and the idea that there are four things to remember before we call for the abolition of the monarchy.

What Gareth doesn’t acknowledge is the Ponzi pyramid that is the UK monarchy, with its triangle of exceptionalism as a miasma oozing downwards throughout our society courtesy of the honours system with the minor royals, dukes and earls at the top to the lesser mortals with their MBEs on the lowest rung. Does Gareth not appreciate that money and even roubles can buy influence in the English House of Lords?

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The entire fabric of the British establishment is starched with a sense of entitlement that gave us the catastrophe of Brexit and “take back control” when all of Scotland and 62% of our population were told to get stuffed with our democratic mandate to maintain our longstanding European heritage.

I respectfully suggest that Gareth is misguided with his mistaken notion that the new King has no executive power when his billions and the full power of his “regal-ness” can put the screws on any recalcitrant politician to get his way, and all out of sight of public scrutiny.

If we’re really serious about our Scottish independence, the debate needs to move into the territory of what kind of country we want for ourselves well in advance of the actuality of Independence Day – whenever that might be.

Iain Bruce
Nairn

RETURNING from Calton Hill, Edinburgh yesterday and heading for our post-protest pint, our conversation gelled around the “Stone of Destiny”.

Should it have been allowed to be sent to London for the ridiculous coronation? Alex Salmond thought no, but apparently the Scottish Government was bound to facilitate its use at UK coronations by agreement. The argument soon moved to what does this stone symbolise and do we want it back? It is the stone (apparently) used or the crowning of “our” kings for 1000 years or so. Edward removed it as a symbol of subjugation and it was kept in London until it was brought back a few decades ago.

Is it of historical significance? Certainly, but is it a symbol of our subjugation? As a republican I would say yes, so do I care if it is returned or not? More difficult. The answer for me hinges on its function. As a retired historical artefact housed in a museum then OK, but if it is to be regarded as a coronation stone for “our” future monarchs post-independence, then I must paraphrase the anti-royalist chant to be, “you can shove your muckle stane up yir arse”.

Campbell Anderson
Edinburgh