Campaigners to protest outside two Glasgow Catholic churches during Orange marches

Call It Out, a group campaigning “against anti-Irish racism and anti-Catholic bigotry”, says it has written to the council raising concerns about the marches passing sites where trouble flared in 2019.

They say the council has “ignored” police advice to re-route marches to avoid passing the churches – a claim both the council and Police Scotland have insisted is not true.

The campaigners now plan to hold “peaceful protests” outside St Benedict’s RC Church, Easterhouse, at 8.15am and Blessed John Duns Scotus RC Church, the Gorbals, at 2pm.

A meeting of the council’s public processions committee, which re-routed marches in 2019, has not been called to debate the current events, and a spokesman said that was because no information from the police had been received which provided cause to hold one.

Call It Out has since published what they say are details of communications with Police Scotland and the council which highlight their concerns.

This includes a letter they claim to have sent to the public processions officer at the council earlier this month, asking for marches passing Catholic churches to be changed to avoid any incidents.

The letter states the campaign group is “not asking for a blanket ban” on processions, but requests changes to the routes of marches passing St Benedict’s RC Church on Westerhouse Road and Blessed John Duns Scotus RC Church on Ballater Street.

Call It Out claims a police liaison officer had told them the police had “objected” to these two marches, but the council had instead decided to speak to procession organisers about the conduct of those taking part.

The organisation published an alleged email from Chief Superintendent Mark Sutherland, stating the liaison officer had “discussed what was captured in the debrief following the 2019 processions”, which is “very different from Police Scotland providing formal notice to GCC about existing information and intelligence”.

“Following such notification GCC would then consider a processions committee which may lead to a re-route or other decision by the committee.”

The group claims the communications show the council “were given advice/recommendations”, with texts, they claim were sent by the liaison officer, stating information had been shared with council officers.

A council spokesman said: “We work closely with police both before and after processions.

“We received no recommendation to re-route processions this weekend, either as part of the statutory consultation process or as part of the debrief from a corresponding event in 2019.”

Chief Superintendent Mark Sutherland, divisional commander for Greater Glasgow, has asked those attending the processions to “do so safely, responsibly and respectfully”.

He said: “We would urge the large majority who behave in the right way and know there is no place for poor behaviour or hate, to influence those around you to ensure the day is remembered for the right reasons, and passes peacefully.”

Grand Master Jim McHarg, of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, has said he “looks forward to a peaceful and successful parade”.

“We look forward to the pageantry, the colour and music and welcome the supporters of the Loyal Orange Institution who turn out to watch and enjoy the spectacle,” he said.

“Our message to everyone is keep safe and enjoy your day.”