A former Perth and Kinross provost has expressed his fears that a 4000-strong Orange Walk through Perth planned for this summer has the potential of bringing trouble to the Fair City.
Mike O’Malley, who was a long-standing councillor, remembers the last march of that size in Perth in 1988, and said people “were intimidated even crossing the road.”
As part of the Orange Order’s annual commemoration of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland plans to hold a procession on June 26 which will begin on the South Inch and go through central Perth.
The application will go before a meeting of the council’s licensing committee on May 13.
Mr O’Malley issued a warning based on past experience.
He said, “Obviously, the situation regarding these big parades always caused problems irrespective of where they are in the country. The application will have to go through the democratic process, but I would question whether Perth is the right place for a major march like this.
“The big concern is that, like it or not, people will be fired up with alcohol and will probably spend most of the day in Perth. This will cause problems, there’s no getting away from it.
“That’s what happened the last time there was a big march. People were intimidated even crossing the road. After that march numbers were strictly limited.”
A wide range of events are taking place this year under the Perth 800 banner and a high-profile city status campaign is under way.
Asked if he thought an Orange procession and the potential for anti-social behaviour it brings could have an adverse effect on the bid, Mr O’Malley said, “I don’t think it will affect city status.Potential for trouble”But, God forbid, if there were any problems it would highlight Perth in a bad way, which we don’t want. The potential is there.”
Outlining the plans, Robert McLean, a member of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, said, “We’re expecting around 4000 of our members to attend, and approximately 40 bands.
“We’re split into four geographical areas throughout Scotland, so it will be mainly people from our lodges based in the east of the country who head to Perth, usually from places like Fife and Edinburgh.
“I would imagine the procession will take about an hour in total. We usually have speakers and a thanksgiving service afterwards and then everyone gets on a bus and goes home.”
The planned route is: the Lesser South Inch, Shore Road, Tay Street, Charlotte Street, Atholl Street, Caledonian Road, High Street, Scott Street, Marshall Place, Shore Road, and on to the Lesser South Inch. It is expected to start at noon.
Comments to the council should be made by tomorrow.
Meetings have already taken place between the organisers, the council and Tayside Police.
Chief Inspector Dave Barclay, who will oversee the policing of the event should it be given the go-ahead, said, “Something like this will obviously generate some traffic congestion but I would reassure both the public and commercial premises that we will work hard to minimise this.
“I monitored the policing situation during last year’s parade in Kirkcaldy and, as far as I’m aware, there were no public order offences reported. We will ensure there are breaks in the flow of the parade to allow people to continue to go about their daily business while it is going on. They did that last year in Fife and I was happy with the way that progressed.
“It will require a significant amount of officers but we won’t be able to put a precise number on it until it’s actually been approved.”