Glasgow Processions and Public Safety
As regular readers know, I contacted my four local Glasgow councillors recently - along with my local MSP, MP and the party group leaders on Glasgow City Council - on the topical subject of 'Glasgow Processions and Public Safety'.
My suggestion is that there should be designated 'crossing points' during these big processions which are visibly under the control of Police Scotland - and not the march organisers.
I had what you might call a 'mixed bag' of responses which I'll share in the days ahead.
In the meantime here are the names of all the Glasgow politicians whom I took the time and trouble to contact by email.
Cllr Greg Hepburn (SNP)
Cllr Robert Connelly (Conservative)
Cllr Celia O'Lone (Labour)
Cllr Jennifer Layden (SNP)
Cllr Susan Aitken (SNP Group Leader)
Cllr Thomas Kerr (Conservative Group Leader)
Cllr Frank McAveety (Labour Group Leader)
Cllr Martha Wardrop (Glasgow Green Party)
John Mason SNP - MSP for Glasgow Shettleston
Alison Thewliss SNP - MP for Glasgow Central
People Before Processions - Update (19/09/19)
I said in a previous post that I was doing my own bit to make processions in Glasgow safer and more civilised, as far as the long-suffering public is concerned.
So here's a letter I've written to my four local Councillors which asks them to raise these issues with Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland on my behalf.
I'll be interested to see which Councillors agree with the points I've raised because, in my experience, some politicians are only happy to pass correspondence on to other bodies such as Councils, Health Boards, Police Scotland etc - without explaining exactly where they stand.
I'll share the various enclosures referred to in my letter, in a separate post, when I get a minute.
Dear Councillor
Glasgow Processions and Public Safety
I am approaching all four councillors in my local Glasgow Calton ward to ask for your assistance regarding the management of public marches which pass through Glasgow city centre.
My concerns apply equally to all big marches, in principle, but personally speaking I have only ever experienced a difficulty in safely crossing public roads during Glasgow's Orange Order Marches.
I have no idea why this should present such a problem, but the fact is that these marchers and their supporters seem to resent people crossing the road while their event is underway. As you know, this led to a recent incident in which a young woman was physically accosted and spat upon by one of the marchers.
I have encountered similar problems myself in the past and raised my concerns with the Leader of Glasgow City Council in July 2017 and did so again in July 2019 (copies of both letters are enclosed for your information).
In the latest exchange of correspondence the Council Leader helpfully provided me with a copy of Scottish Ministers' Guidance on Public Processions along with the City Council’s own Code of Conduct - both documents emphasise the importance of community engagement and the need to strike a proper balance between the rights of different groups of citizens.
I would like to highlight the following clause of the City Council's Code of Conduct for your information and reference:
Para 2.3 of the Glasgow City Council Code of Conduct states:
"Where representations have been received from the Police or a local Councillor(s) or concerns raised by local residents or businesses, the Council will make every effort to meet and negotiate with the Procession Organiser to resolve concerns to the mutual satisfaction of all involved. These negotiations may result in it being necessary to submit a revised and mutually agreed notification."
I am asking my local councillors to raise this matter of public safety on my behalf with Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland.
My request is that a condition of future marches is that people should be able to cross the road at regular intervals during these marches and that Police Scotland should be visibly in charge of these designated ‘crossing points’ - not the march organisers.
In my opinion, this small but important civilising measure would be of great benefit to everyone involved.
I also believe that my concern over the level of disruption caused and the inability of people to cross the road safely during such marches is very widely shared.
I look forward to hearing from you in response to my request and would be happy to meet with local councillors individually, or on a cross party basis, if that would be a helpful way to take things forward.
Kind regards
Mark Irvine
NB
Individuals letters sent to Cllr Greg Hepburn, Cllr Jennifer Layden, Cllr Robert Connelly and Cllr Celia O'Lone
Letter also sent for information to John Mason (MSP), Alison Thewliss (MP), Party Group Leaders on Glasgow City Council and the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Iain Livingstone.
Enclosures x 4
1) Copy of letter to the Leader of Glasgow City Council dated 23 August 2019
2) Copy of letter from the Leader of Glasgow City Council dated 22 August 2019
3) Copy of letter to the Leader of Glasgow City Council dated 16 July 2019
4) Copy of letter to the Leader of Glasgow City Council dated 1 July 2017
People Before Processions (12/09/19)
Glasgow City Council has done the right thing it you ask me, with its decision to ban six pubic processions.
Now it should be possible for people to march and get their message across peacefully, but these events have been getting out of hand recently.
So it seems perfectly sensible to take some time out to examine and update the 'rules' to ensure public safety and minimise the disruption caused to people's lives.
https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/17896252.republican-loyalist-marches-weekend-banned-glasgow-city-council/
All republican and loyalist marches this weekend banned by Glasgow City Council
By Evening Times Online
All republican and loyalist marches this weekend banned by Glasgow City Council
ALL loyalist and republican marches planned in Glasgow this weekend have been prohibited.
Glasgow City Council has taken the unprecedented step to block six public processions following advice from Police Scotland.
The decision was made after two weekends of violence, with large protests against marches across the city.
Processions had been organised for Saturday by Bridgeton Protestant Boys Flute Band, Pride of the North Flute Band, Republican Network for Unity and the Whiteinch Orange and Purple District, which was planning to march in two separate locations.
READ MORE: Glasgow to be hit with month of marches with 14 processions planned in next three weeks
Partick Orange and Purple District had arranged to march on Sunday.
The organisers can appeal the decisions made by the council.
A council spokesman said: "A meeting of the city’s Public Processions Committee has ordered the prohibition of six marches that had been due to take place this weekend.
"The council has always been clear that the law expects it to facilitate public processions; including those that some people oppose or find offensive.
"However, the right to march has to be balanced against the rights of people and communities across Glasgow.
READ MORE: Full list of 14 marches planned for Glasgow in coming weeks
"Today, committee has acted to protect the interests of those communities - taking into account the threat to public safety and the likelihood of widespread disruption and disorder.
"Its decisions follow the recommendations made by the Chief Executive, having also considered expert evidence on behalf of the Chief Constable of Police Scotland.
"The city has already witnessed an unacceptable level of disruption and disorder associated with parades and counter-protests in recent weeks.
"It is clear, both from the intelligence gathered by police and the tone of comments made by supporters and protestors, that tensions are high and the situation threatens to deteriorate further.
"The council directly appeals to those who would have taken part in these marches, or who planned to mount protests against them, to comply with the orders made and not bring further disruption to city streets."
Last Saturday, a policeman was injured after he was hit by a pyrotechnic thrown by a protester, while 11 people were arrested as two marches through the streets of Glasgow descended into violence.
READ MORE: Former Lord Provost of Glasgow Michael Kelly calls for ban on city centre marches
Just over a week earlier, Police Scotland had to step in a deal with "significant disorder" at a march in Govan.
On Tuesday, Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said Scottish Governmentministers would back Glasgow City Council in any efforts to limit the number of marches taking place on its streets.
"The events of the last two weekends have clearly demonstrated that sectarian violence is not a thing of the past," Mr Yousaf said.
"We all have a collective desire, a collective need and a collective interest to eradicate this kind of hatred from our streets. Frankly, the citizens of Glasgow that I speak to have just had enough.
"So when it comes to Glasgow City Council's desire to reduce the number of marches, I think that is a pretty decent place to start and they will get support from the Government in that endeavour.
READ MORE: Two schoolboys, 14 and 15, among 11 arrests from Irish Republican marches in Glasgow
"The fact that we have to think about legislating to stop these individuals from committing that disorder is a pretty depressing state.
"But where the council feel there is a need for further legislative options to be explored I have given them an undertaking to do that."
People Before Processions (11/09/19)
The Evening Times had an interesting article the other day which suggested that Glasgow's politicians are having a fresh look at the impact of 'parades and processions' on the safety of the wider public.
I'm trying to do my bit on this front and I wrote recently to all four Glasgow councillors in my local area.
More details to follow in the days ahead.
https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/17885469.glasgow-seeks-law-change-put-people-parades/
Glasgow leaders seek law change to put public safety before parade rights
By Stewart Paterson - Evening Times
Glasgow seeks law change to put people before parades
TOP level talks have taken place over changing the law to put the protection of the public at the forefront of allowing parades to go ahead.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf met with Glasgow City Council leader, Susan Aitken, council officials and Police Scotland following the violent clashes during a protest at a parade in Govan last Friday.
Earlier this week Susan Aitken, had voiced frustration at the “limited powers” she said was available to the council.
She said that the council may need to “push the law” on parades to protect the public.
READ MORE: Politicians must work to tackle sectarianism not seek to gain
At the meeting it was discussed how the current law can be better used and what changes could be made to keep people safe during parades in the city.
The number of parades that take place in the city is likely to be discussed with the intention of working with organisers and police to try and reduce their number further.
It is understood there is no intention to seek to ban parades by any particular organisations but to look at a case by case basis and tighten up the law.
The issue of public safety has come to the fore after the parade by the James Connolly Flute Band was met with protests in the street near Govan Cross.
It comes after a summer of controversy around parades by protestant organisations.
A number of marches by the Orange Order and Apprentice Boys of Derry were re-routed by the council after concerns about protests if they passed a Catholic church in Calton.
Two more parades by Irish republican groups are due to take place tomorrow in the city centre with police stating they will have “specialist resources” available to deal with any violence that may occur.
Cairde na hEireann Calton Republicans are marching from Calton to the Clydeside while Friends of Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association are marching from Blythswood Square to Barrowlands A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “Today’s meeting was very constructive.
READ MORE: Chinese faces fine of up £40,000 after two illegal workers discovered during immigration raid
“It is clear the council and the Scottish Government share the same objectives – to keep people safe; reduce the impact of processions on communities and, ultimately, see fewer marches.
“We’re pleased that the Minister is willing to look again at how the law can be used to meet those objectives."
READ MORE: Politicians must work to tackle sectarianism not seek to gain
Cabinet Secretary Humza Yousaf said it was a very constructive meeting.
He said: “First of all we are united in the firm view that the kind of disgraceful scenes we saw last week must not be tolerated in a modern Scotland and that it needs a robust response.
“Anybody involved in these parades or counter-protests who intend to cause trouble for the local community need to take a hard look at themselves.
“And if they are acting in a way which is going to cause disorder, the police will take a very robust approach to that – as we saw last week, and indeed with their on-going investigations and actions following from that incident.
“We also discussed future plans around potentially allowing Glasgow City Council to reduce the number of marches.
“I told the Council leader that if there is anything we can do legislatively in this Parliament, then we will do. We’ve decided to meet again.
TOP level talks have taken place over changing the law to put the protection of the public at the forefront of allowing parades to go ahead.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf met with Glasgow City Council leader, Susan Aitken, council officials and Police Scotland following the violent clashes during a protest at a parade in Govan last Friday.
Earlier this week Susan Aitken, had voiced frustration at the “limited powers” she said was available to the council.
She said that the council may need to “push the law” on parades to protect the public.
READ MORE: Politicians must work to tackle sectarianism not seek to gain
At the meeting it was discussed how the current law can be better used and what changes could be made to keep people safe during parades in the city.
The number of parades that take place in the city is likely to be discussed with the intention of working with organisers and police to try and reduce their number further.
It is understood there is no intention to seek to ban parades by any particular organisations but to look at a case by case basis and tighten up the law.
The issue of public safety has come to the fore after the parade by the James Connolly Flute Band was met with protests in the street near Govan Cross.
It comes after a summer of controversy around parades by protestant organisations.
A number of marches by the Orange Order and Apprentice Boys of Derry were re-routed by the council after concerns about protests if they passed a Catholic church in Calton.
Two more parades by Irish republican groups are due to take place tomorrow in the city centre with police stating they will have “specialist resources” available to deal with any violence that may occur.
Cairde na hEireann Calton Republicans are marching from Calton to the Clydeside while Friends of Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association are marching from Blythswood Square to Barrowlands A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “Today’s meeting was very constructive.
READ MORE: Chinese faces fine of up £40,000 after two illegal workers discovered during immigration raid
“It is clear the council and the Scottish Government share the same objectives – to keep people safe; reduce the impact of processions on communities and, ultimately, see fewer marches.
“We’re pleased that the Minister is willing to look again at how the law can be used to meet those objectives."
READ MORE: Politicians must work to tackle sectarianism not seek to gain
Cabinet Secretary Humza Yousaf said it was a very constructive meeting.
He said: “First of all we are united in the firm view that the kind of disgraceful scenes we saw last week must not be tolerated in a modern Scotland and that it needs a robust response.
“Anybody involved in these parades or counter-protests who intend to cause trouble for the local community need to take a hard look at themselves.
“And if they are acting in a way which is going to cause disorder, the police will take a very robust approach to that – as we saw last week, and indeed with their on-going investigations and actions following from that incident.
“We also discussed future plans around potentially allowing Glasgow City Council to reduce the number of marches.
“I told the Council leader that if there is anything we can do legislatively in this Parliament, then we will do. We’ve decided to meet again.
“We will explore the current legislation and guidelines that are in place, but also whether there should be a look at potentially new legislation in future. I’m open-minded to that, and I gave that commitment to the council leader.”
