Massive turnout at Glasgow Hunger Strike Commemoration

In one of the biggest ever republican turnouts in Scotland up to 3,000 people marched through Glasgow on Saturday 7 May in a parade commemorating the 24th Anniversary of the 1981 H-Block Hunger Strike.

And while organisers praised the huge crowd who attended the parade, they were scathing of the attitude of Glasgow City Council, which issued a banning order preventing marchers from reaching their original destination at Queen's Park.

Jim Slaven, spokesperson for Cairde na hÉireann, accused Glasgow City Council of demonstrating an anti-republican and sectarian bias in banning the march, saying the his group had applied for permission for the march three months ago.

"Despite all the provocations and increased harassment of the Irish community in Scotland by the police, Special Branch, MI5 and now Glasgow City Council, Scottish republicans haven't gone away and won't be silenced," Slaven told An Phoblacht.

"We would like to praise all those people who turned out for the commemoration because the sacrifices made by Bobby Sands and his comrades in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh will never be forgotten by republicans in Scotland. This is the most important event in our calendar of marches. Already, plans are under way for next year's 25th anniversary."