Councillor flag argument sparks petition

The southside councillor waved an Israeli flag at Glasgow city chambers on Friday as the council raised the Palestinian flag.

GCC stated that its move showed solidarity with those affected by the conflict in Gaza and with Glasgow’s twin city, Bethlehem, under the Palestinian authority.

But Mr Meikle said the decision to fly the Palestinian flag was taken without consulting councillors, and would do nothing to help either side of the conflict.

The online petition, which has 2,079 signatures, reads: “We believe his actions have been very insensitive to the majority of his constituents and Glaswegians at large.”

However, commenting on The Extra’s Facebook page, Dave Forrest said: “We might not like it, or agree with him, but surely he has as much right to wave an Israeli flag as anyone else has to wave a Palestinian flag?”

Janette Thomson added: “No flags would have been better and this would have been avoided. Flying a flag will not save one soldier or one civilian life on either side and public officials should not assume that the people they represent want them to fly either flag.”