Comment: Parades changes mean more work for police

It does rather go with the territory living in Scotland’s capital that there is going to be a march or demonstration every other week.

By and large there is no issue other than the debate over who should pay the policing costs.

Residents in the city centre must surely be used to the disruption by now, while taxi drivers will moan, but are well practised in finding their way round those blocking their route.

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Today, though, we learn of new rules to control the number, size, and activity of marchers through the city.

Are all these rules really necessary?

Perhaps as general guidance, but trying to enforce some of the proposed conditions looks challenging to say the least.

Requiring a band to say stop playing for a few minutes when passing a church (where there is no service taking place) seems bizarre, and good luck to those who are tasked with the job of ensuring marchers stay “a maximum of six and a minimum of four” 
abreast.

We fully support measures to ensure the minimum amount of disruption is caused to city residents by protests and parades, but this just seems to be causing more work for the police and perhaps increasing the risk of tensions boiling over.

What do we want? Sensible policies.

When do we want them? Now!

Cut above the rest

she may only be three but she’ll never have a more famous haircut. The tale of little Charlotte Hoehle-Robinson chopping her blonde locks to make wigs for cancer sufferers went viral on the Evening News Facebook account, attracting more than one million “likes” and being seen by people around the world. Well done Charlotte, just don’t expect that reaction every time you head to the hairdressers!