A PROTESTANT group has scrapped plans to hold a parade that will pass a church where a priest was allegedly attacked during an Orange Order march.
It comes after the Rising Star of Bridgeton Royal Black Preceptory indicated to Glasgow City Council that they are planning a court fight over their insistence of a re-route to avoid passing St Alphonsus Church.
The Catholic Church had slammed plans for what it called a 'provocative' march while calling for a rerouting of the parade way from the church where Canon Tom White was allegedly lunged at and spat on while speaking to parishioners outside following mass as an Orange walk took place on July 7.
The council had previously asked organisers to change the route which runs from Tullis Street to the East End for a wreath-laying ceremony but the Royal Blacks, which is formed from Orangemen, refused.
It had then to be considered by a council public processions committee on Monday which imposed the re-route condition.
Now the council has confirmed that the group have withdrawn the application for the the parade, meaning it is officially off.
Last month the Orange Order also cancelled a parade instead of accepting the route the council told it to take.
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “On Monday, Public Processions Committee imposed a new route on a proposed march Rising Star of Bridgeton Royal Black Preceptory No. 672, 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organiser has now informed the council that it no longer intends to go ahead with the event and the procession has been withdrawn entirely.”
A spokesman for the Provincial Grand Black Chapter of Scotland said last week in response to the re-route call that meetings were being arranged during this week to "consider this matter".
A recent Royal Black Preceptory Parade in Port Glasgow
But councillors have been told by a representative of the Royal Blacks that they planned to appeal against the re-route to the Sheriff Court.
It is not clear whether the court action will still go ahead.
A report to the council committee acknowledged the Rising Star of Bridgeton Royal Black Preceptory has for a number of years marched past St Alphonsus without major incident but still took the view there would be a “high likelihood of public disorder with risk to public safety and extended disruption to the life of the local community".
Around 60 people were expected to take part and the march would take 45 minutes each way.
Earlier this month, the Grand Lodge of Scotland changed the route of a march to bypass St Alphonsus Church after "a tidal wave of revulsion" amongst the people of Glasgow and a host of politicians from the city and beyond following the alleged assault.
It came after in July, Susan Aitken, the Glasgow City Council leader said said Orange Order parades will be re-routed away from the site St Alphonsus’ Church.
Writing in the Herald she said: “I hope they voluntarily agree it is unacceptable for them to continue to pass these places of worship. If they do not, Glasgow City Council will insist.
“We are ready and willing to strength-test existing laws and our own codes of conduct in relation to preventing horrendous incidents like the attack on Canon Tom White.”
A spokesman for the Provincial Grand Black Chapter of Scotland said as the Glasgow procession and wreath laying ceremony “could not proceed in its traditional manner”, the preceptory had “regretfully” decided to cancel the event.
He added: “Preceptory officers will now take the appropriate time to consider all options in the days ahead to ensure a lasting and satisfactory resolution to this matter; for the greater good of community relations in Glasgow, and the Loyal Orders.”
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