Murphy attacks 'sickening' attempts to disrupt celebrations

Published on Saturday 27 June 2009 19:44

Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy hit out at "sickening" protests that disrupted an Armed Forces Day parade.

Police have confirmed that arrests were made and one person was injured after trouble flared at the event in Glasgow. The protestors, believed to have been an Irish Republican group, are understood to have started chanting while a service was taking place in George Square yesterday.

Murphy hailed the "brilliant men and women" of the forces. "They are Britain at its best and Scotland at its bravest," he said. "At the other end of the spectrum, the event was soured by a tiny minority of mindless demonstrators who can't begin to understand the meaning of bravery.

"A separate group of mindless idiots also soured the day for me. After doing an interview for BBC, I was subjected to sustained sectarian abuse from people who seemed to take great and foul-mouthed offence because I am Catholic."

Murphy added: "My message to them today is that they cannot win. They stand against every value the veterans we celebrated today fought – and died – for.

"It was a sickening spectacle that showed we still have a long way to go in removing the scourge of sectarianism in our country and I was saddened our brave service people and veterans had to endure even a second of it."

Police said 13 people were taken into custody. Five were arrested with the others still being questioned last night. A 24-year-old man was taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary with a head injury.