Pro-Union groups have been rebuffed after asking Dundee Conservatives to help film an independence march this weekend.
Scotland in Union asked local Tories to aid their counter-demonstration, requesting councillors help film the march to “measure numbers”.
Ferry councillor Philip Scott said he would not be at the march in any capacity and advised others to follow suit.
Organisers of the All Under One Banner (AUOB) event believe more than 10,000 Yes supporters will descend on the city on Saturday afternoon, with the council warning of “significant diversions” and rolling road blocks as a result.
“Proto fascist” nationalist group Sìol nan Gàidheal (Seed of the Gael), members of which are banned from joining the SNP, will be allowed to attend the weekends’ protest – with the AUOB saying they are a “self-regulating” organisation representative of independence supporters from all walks of life.
They added hate speech and racist language would not be tolerated and that perpetrators would be removed from the march if police identified such behaviour.
Spokesperson Neil Mackay said: “I think there will be in excess of 10,000 people in attendance on Saturday.
“We are fully prepared for that number of people and we have a very good stewarding team with several years of experience who are responsible and reliable.
“There will be coaches of people attending from across Scotland.”
Starting at Baxter Park, attendees will proceed down Arbroath Road, Princess Street, Panmure Street and towards Meadowside in the city centre.
From there, the march will continue down Reform Street, along the Nethergate and up Perth Road, where it will diverge on Roseangle to its finishing point on Magdalen Green.
Counter-demonstrators have been rebuffed by local Conservative members they asked to film the march to “measure numbers”.
The pro-UK Scotland In Union group approached the city’s Tory councillors asking them to help.
The Force for Good unionist group also said they would be in attendance, filming marchers to “reveal the truth” on the “ridiculous” claims of event organisers.
Ferry representative Councillor Philip Scott said he would not attend in any capacity and advised other party members to do the same.
He said: “The Scotland in Union group got in touch with us regarding the march.
“My advice was we should ignore the event as a whole, the Dundee Conservatives won’t be taking part in the day in any way.”
Dundee SNP MPs Stewart Hosie and Chris Law will attend Saturday’s march.
Mr Hosie said: “I have seen a tiny number of demonstrators at other AUOB marches this year and they are a sad little bunch.
“They are, of course, perfectly entitled to film and demonstrate against the march, but there is something rather creepy about filming the march and the way they are going about it.”
Mr Law added: “Dundee had the highest percentage of Yes voters at 57.4%, so I think it’s fitting that there should be a march for independence here in Dundee.”
A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “The condition for this march was that the organiser had to liaise with the council, the police and other statutory bodies on a number of issues, including stewarding, toilet facilities and first aid.
“The organiser is continuing to engage with the council.”
