Glasgow Orange Walk: Orange Order parade past Catholic church met by Call It Out protest

An Orange Order procession outside a Catholic church in Glasgow on Saturday morning was met by campaigners against anti-catholic bigotry and anti-Irish discrimination.

Call It Out Scotland had called for three controversial Orange Walk marches to make minor detours to avoid passing Catholic Churches on Saturday in Glasgow.

However, an orange parade passed St Benedict’s Catholic church in Easterhouse on Saturday morning and were met by the counter protest.

It comes as up to 13,000 people are expected to converge in the city centre to ‘commemorate the 200th anniversary of the first Battle of Boyne parade’ since the pandemic began.

A Call It Out spokesperson said: “CIO and other citizens requested that three anti-Catholic marches make minor detours to avoid passing Catholic Churches. This was a fair, proportionate, and human rights-based request that would have balanced the rights of all including anti-Catholic organisations.

“Once again however Glasgow City Council and the Police Service of Scotland have ignored these calls and failed in their statutory obligation to consider or give equal weight to the human rights of Catholics and ultimately protect Catholics and Catholic places of worship.”

The Orange Order said it does not believe there is a problem with sectarianism in Scotland and the group was not anti-Catholic.

An orange parade passes St Benedict's catholic church in Easterhouse where a counter protest by Call It Out gathered on September 18, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. Around 13,000 marchers are expected to take part in more than 50 parades through the city centre heading to Glasgow Green to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the first Battle of the Boyne parade in Glasgow. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland said the processions were a celebration of the group's heritage and it looked forward to “a peaceful and successful parade” and encouraged supporters to “enjoy the spectacle”.

However, Call It Out is asking ‘all Glasgow citizens, trade unionists, anti-racists, equality campaigners and those opposed to egregious manifestations of anti-Catholic hatred’ to join them in ‘peaceful protest.’

The group is protesting against the marches outside two Catholic churches in Glasgow on Saturday.

Ahead of the marches, Police Scotland has advised the public of traffic disruption and road closures with up to 32 road closures in place till mid-afternoon.

A silent Orange Order band walks passes by a Call It Out protest outside St Benedict's church in Easterhouse, Glasgow. Picture date: Saturday September 18, 2021. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Robert Perry/PA Wire

Deputy Chief Constable Will Kerr previously told the BBC: "[Sectarianism] isn't just a problem that you see the symptoms of around Orange Order parades - this is a problem that affects both Catholic and Protestant communities, it affects many other parts of Scotland than just Glasgow.

"It's not unique to the Orange Order in Glasgow in any way, shape or form."

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