Orange Order cancels walk after 'priest attack' route row

The Orange Order described the council's decision as "discrimination"

The Orange Order has cancelled a planned walk after it was banned from passing a Catholic church where a priest was allegedly attacked.

Glasgow City Council told the organisation it would have to re-route Saturday's march away from St Alphonsus' Church in Trongate.

Police warned riot officers would have to be deployed to combat a counter-protest if had gone past the church.

But on Friday it emerged the Orange Order has now scrapped the event.

A council spokesman said: "Yesterday's public processions committee imposed a new route and start time on a march by Orange and Purple District 37, due to take place this Saturday.

"The organiser has now informed the council that it no longer intends to go ahead with the event and the procession has been withdrawn entirely."

Canon Tom White said he was spat on twice as a parade went past his church on Saturday 7 July

The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland said the decision was taken by members of the local lodge.

A spokesman said: "There is considerable alarm amongst members now that Glasgow City Council has, in effect, declared some streets as no-go zones based on religion.

"Everyone has the right to peaceful assembly, and these rights should not be restricted simply because people don't share the same opinions.

"We will be seeking meetings with all relevant authorities regarding the discrimination being directed at members of the Orange Lodge in this local community, law-abiding people who have done nothing to justify this persecution."

Not responsible

The row follows a previous Orange march on 7 July, when Canon Tom White said he was verbally abused and spat on.

Canon White told BBC Scotland he was called "Fenian scum", a "beast" and "paedophile" during the incident.

A 24-year-old man appeared in court accused of an assault on Canon White, aggravated by religious prejudice.

The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland said its members were not responsible for the incident.

The outcry led the Orange Order to postpone its next march, but this weekend's march, organised by Orange and Purple District 37, had planned to maintain its route past the Catholic church in the city's east end.

Supt John McBride told members of the council's public processions committee that intelligence had led him to believe there was the potential for nasty scenes if the Orange Order walked down Stevenson Street on Saturday.

Ronnie Convery, representing the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Glasgow, warned: "The potential for public disorder is extremely high."

Anti-sectarianism charity Nil by Mouth also welcomed the council's decision on Thursday.

Director Dave Scott said: "The parade was rerouted because of the serious incident just a few weeks ago not because of some vendetta against the Orange Order."