'ORANGE'' PARADE OF 'SECTARIAN HATRED'

Jenny Foulds • Published 21 Jul 2009 08:00

A RELIGIOUS leader has blasted plans for an Orange-type march through Dumbarton, branding it a parade of "sectarian bile and hatred".

Outspoken Reverend Kenny Macaulay, pictured, of St Augustine's Church, launched a stinging attack on the proposed walk by the Provincial Grand Black Chapter of Scotland on his online church blog.

In it, he proposes sitting down in front of the marchers in an act of civil disobedience and says there is no place for the event in communities today.

The 53-year-old Episcopalian priest of the High Street church - which is on the proposed route of the walk - states: "I'm having a wee rant just now about a proposed Orange Walk in Dumbarton due to take place on August 8.

"Thirty-seven bands from the West of Scotland and Ireland, flute and accordion, will descend on our town on this date to parade their sectarian bile and hatred on our streets.

"Three-thousand marchers and at least the equivalent number of supporters will march past my church playing songs about 1690 [the year of the Battle of the Boyne] and all that."

He adds: "It's bad enough listening to this crap at Ibrox Park, (Rangers' ground), every second week, without it being on our usually decent streets. Some of you will have already picked up my views here, and I make no apology for the fact that I believe sectarianism has no place in our communities today, nor should it be held up as an option for our children and grandchildren.

"I grew up with this mentality and it has no place in our common life. If this was an anti-Muslim march, it would be banned. Anti-Roman Catholicism is okay then?

"My parish has arranged our annual outing for August 8, most of us will just get out of town.

"I'm seriously considering civil disobedience. If I'm sitting on the road, they can't march over me, can they?"

A special council meeting to decide whether to grant permission for the march is expected to be held on Tuesday August 4 - just FOUR days before the walk is due to take place.

However, WDC has still to confirm the time and venue.

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This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 21 Jul 09

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