INDEPENDENCE supporters turned out for a day-long demonstration in Glasgow's George Square yesterday to kick-off a weekend of events marking the second anniversary of the referendum.

Nearly 500 people attended the protest organised by the pro-independence Hope Over Fear group ahead of a second demonstration by the Yes Movement on Glasgow Green today, two years to the date since the 2014 referendum.

Stephen McMurray, 42, a research worker from Edinburgh, said supporters needed to continue to hold regular demonstrations in order to drive up support for the Yes side.

He said: "Two years on, it's important to keep the momentum going, particularly when there is a clear lack of respect for Scotland coming from Westminster. At the moment we probably wouldn't win a second referendum, but it has to be a longer process."

Pat Lee, protest organiser, told the demonstration that the continued use of food banks by poverty-stricken Scots showed the Union had failed to deliver social justice since the Yes campaign was defeated two years ago.

He said: "It's an absolute shame that in the 21st century we have people forced to rely on food banks. It's scandalous."

A Scottish Independence Convention at St Lukes in the Calton, Glasgow, this afternoon will be addressed by Alex Salmond, who this week said he expected a second independence referendum within two years.

SNP deputy leadership contender Tommy Sheppard MP, singer songwriter Eddi Reader and Carolyn Leckie from Women for Independence are also speaking at the convention event.