The first ever “Orange Fest” in Glasgow is set to take over the city centre on Saturday, with a full day of activities in George Square alongside a mid-afternoon march through the city centre. The square is expected to be cordoned off to allow a stage, marquee and seating areas to be erected for the Orange Order event, which will last for seven hours.
The event comes just four weeks ahead of the Lodge’s annual “Big Walk”, which sees thousands of marchers and hangers-on take over the city on the first weekend in July, usually culminating at Glasgow Green. Last year’s walk was marred by violence after a 12 year old girl was bottled in the face. This Saturday’s event is being billed as taking the Order’s “community outreach efforts to a whole new level”, which is certainly one way of describing an event that will see half the city centre become a no go zone for many.
The event was announced in a blaze of publicity last year, in which the Lodge – an organisation founded to celebrate and defend Protestant ethno-religious supremacy – promised to invite Catholic and Muslim groups along to “gain an understanding of the cultural heritage and modus operandi” of the organisation. As well other faith leaders, they also promised to extend an invitation to all politicians in the city. The event is officially sanctioned by Glasgow City Council, and the Lord Provost hosted a civic reception for the Lodge, typically held in the City Chambers, on Monday evening. The Lodge’s website claims the event has received “a cordial reception from the city fathers”.
We Are The People Make Glasgow
However, it comes just days after the official voice of the Lodge in Scotland, The Orange Torch, branded the country a “nation of psychiatric basket cases” for returning 56 SNP MPs in May’s election. The article goes on to call the Scottish electorate “barking mad” for being “won over by the lying propaganda and fruitcake delusions of the SNP”. It’s unclear whether the Lodge have lived up their pledge to invite all of Glasgow’s politicians, although it seems unlikely the city’s seven SNP MPs will receive much of a welcome at it.
The Orange Fest is being framed as a “cultural and heritage day”, and is to begin with “a short act of praise and worship”, followed by guest speakers, bands, stalls and “face painting and inflatables” for younger visitors (so presumably a Bouncy Bouncy Castle of some sort). It will finish at 4.30pm with a “stirring ‘Last Night of the Proms’ experience” that will see the national anthem rounding the day off. We’re not sure if there’ll be much Pimms on the go but they’ll probably make up for that by just having twice as many miniature union flegs.
Any fantasy that the day was about “outreach” is quickly dispelled by a glance over the itinerary, which is less a run down of family favourites than archaic museum exhibits with names like the Most Worthy Grand Master Bro Henry Dunbar (cool story bro), the Black Skull Corps of Fife, and a sure to be fascinating segment on the History of the CGOLOG, whatever that is. Instead – and as if it was ever going to be anything else – once again our city will become a playground for bigots on Saturday, as it hosts a glorified celebration of religious supremacy and triumphalism. There seems little in the way of diversity to be found in their union jack bedecked, jam packed programme of how brilliant is to be a Prod. But instead of confining themselves to an Orange Hall for the afternoon, they’re going to spend the whole day camped out in Glasgow city centre for their supremacist jamboree, banging away at Lambeg drums and blasting flutes amid the hate speech.
Once again, we find ourselves asking why Glasgow City Council are letting this happen – not just granting the Lodge the city’s central civic square for the entire day, but also a procession right through the centre of town in the middle of the afternoon. No other organisation gets such favourable treatment, as we’ve documented extensively in the past. People Make Glasgow, but some people – The People, if you believe their own rhetoric – apparently “make” it more than others.
UPDATE: It’s since come to our attention that among the performers on Saturday will be “Pastor Michael McCurry”. The same Pastor Mike McCurry that quit as an SPL referee in disgrace after continual allegations of being biased towards Rangers? Could it just be?
A Thousand Flowers 
This has got to be a joke!!! Please tell me this is a joke!!!!
I can not believe glasgow City council are allowing this to happen, I’m absolutely fuming. For years they have been trying to stop the marches but now it’s a u turn and our square will be out of bounds For Anyone not affiliated with the OO. As for invites to people of other religions and faiths….. No chance, we’re not welcome!!!
you may find that speaker Ruth Dudley Edwards is a Roman Catholic. Where was your outrage at the very discredited Tommy Sheridan hijacking George Square a few weeks ago?
Hi Billy, the outrage you’re looking for can be found here:
Also here: https://athousandflowers.net/2015/04/30/weekly-wanker-050-robin-mcalpine/
Here: https://athousandflowers.net/2014/10/12/despair-in-the-square-with-hopeoverfear/
and here: https://athousandflowers.net/2014/06/03/the-trouble-with-tommy
xoxo
Any chance of the Scottish Government doing anything about this scourge?
Or is there not room for two villains in this pantomime plot?
Maybe Glasgow Council are guilty of not trying to get them to use another venue but sadly everyone is allowed to assemble, march, parade and demonstrate and the law would back you as happened in Edinburgh when the council there tried to ban the EDL/SDL from marching, they took them to court, the council had to pay costs as people have the right to assemble by law. All the authorities can do is try to negotiate a route, time and so on.
Actually, that’s not true, Norrie. Political marches have been reduced dramatically over the years to the point where, for example, the upcoming anit-austerity demonstration has no march at all. I doubt very much that GCC would officially sanction a thousand strong anti-austerity march right through the city centre, close main arteries into the city, offer to foot the £500,000 police bill and invite us all over for a champagne reception and a cosy wee chat. Not everyone is allowed to assemble and nobody else gets this kind of special treatment.
Yet another red neck for Glasgow City council. A fascist organisation allowed to celebrate their sectarian beliefs, welcomed with open arms. Welcome to 2015.
Fuck off out of my city you rancid, backward cunts.
There’s nothing on the web to advertise this and nothing on Glasgow City website. All a bit “hush hush”!!
I find it very distasteful that in an era where we are trying to promote equality in every corner that Glasgow City council and police Scotland have allowed this Glasgow hatefest to take place at all. When are we ever going to climb out from the 17th century and send these idiots back to hide behind whatever rock they came from.
Well that’ll be me staying well out of Glasgow this weekend then!
My experience during the indyref campaign was that many of the “activists” the Labour party had left on its books, after most sane and decent people had given up and left them in disgust, were orange order to their toenails. Sadly, this seems to be payback time for the Labour leaders in Glasgow, promoting the “normalisation” of orangeism as a colourful part of Scotland’s cultural diversity, glossing over their disgusting bigotry. A simple bit of digging on facebook showed how my local (ex) Labour MP was using on his election literature, as an “ordinary” local voter, a foul UVF and BNP supporting bigot, who was also one of the few people he could persuade to go out leafleting in the town for him. Glasgow City Council is now in hock to these people, and events like this are the sad result. The sooner religion, all religion, is purged from our politics, the better.
We should have equality of all faiths with freedom of speech in this mullti cultural society, so why on earth are protestants allowed???!!!!
It’s not a protestant thing, it’s an overtly anti-catholic thing, something which shames right minded and decent thinking people. Scotland’s shame when all they can do is hate another faith.
Yes Norrie. Everybody IS allowed to assemble , march, parade and demonstrate, but they are actually cordoning off George square for this, setting up seating areas etc, not “Everybody” is afforded that luxury
I am being told by my Nat friends that it is a reward for their support of the Better Together campaign.
And, I can just see a lot of contributors here nodding their heads and saying that sounds plausible in response to that fantasy scenario.
Not only will I not be going to Glasgow this weekend I will do my level best to make sure Glasgow never gets another penny from me or any of my friends. This is an utter disgrace! Are ordinary Glaswegians going to allow this to happen?
I hope the face painters got their money up front
its almost like failed revolution always drives a heavy wave of reaction
After being away from Glasgow since 1979, but still visit regularly and have massive family ties to the town, I’m gobsmacked that this racial hatred, and that’s what it is towards Catholics, is still going on. My boyfriend, at the time, now my husband, left Glasgow because we were classed as a mixed couple, I’m catholic and he is protestant, have we not moved forward since the 70’s. Looks like no we haven’t’. Disgraceful Glasgow!!!!!!!!
P Shannon , I’m in the same boat as you, I’m a catholic my husband is a Protestant …or maybe I should say was , as a child. He is totally gobsmacked that this is allowed to happen in this day and age, as marches were supposed to be scaled back, not encouraged. The council has a lot to answer to !!!
Is this open to anyone or do you need a ticket.
Seriously Labour are losing it.
Mike McCurry, nah never, it couldn’t be, could it?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X5xdXqbuSPg ballboy know what it’s all about
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X5xdXqbuSPg Apt ballboy song
the labour mob will squirm and rob do anything for a few bob, thankfully not for much longer.glasgow council scumbags one n all.
So, sectarianism at football matches is to be banned and people arrested etc, as well as teams fined, but an entire city is allowed to continue to celebrate one religion’s massacre of another and this is considered not only okay, but actually acceptable some 325 years after the event!!!!!! I can see why we should remember and learn from historical events, but what is this teaching our kids??? I think it only teaches them to hate others rather than accept differences and live with hope and not fear. Time to end this ridiculous nonsense!
Excellent point!
Is this their reward, for their campaigning against independence last year.
Glasgow City Council hope you are so proud of yourselves, you are lower than low and Scotland’s shame. Diversity and intolerance the world must be laughing at us.
Glasgow City Council be ashamed of yourselves. Very ashamed!!!
Why?What’s to be achieved by this?
Won’t be going near Glasgow on sat let all they clowns fight with each other as that’s what they do
Glasgow’s Labour Council no doubt repaying the O O for canvassing on behalf of the Labour Party against the SNP during the referendum and the last election.
Very surprised this is being allowed the bigots will all be out in force I’m disgusted!!!
Why oh Why don’t the Glasgow city Fathers just stop,bann every sectarian March be it from either side of the religious devide,we,Catholic,Prodestant and other religious faiths are at least on the face of it,trying to heal old wounds but as long as these parades get the Ok from the city fathers,there’s always gonna be trouble,the council should have the knowledge to know that to police these events hurts the pocket as does it hurt the NHS but worse when the media get hold of it all,it really shows SCOTLANDS SHAME,and the world is WATCHING,think again Glasgow City Council,while you still have time.
why do glasgow city council allow this event at all? Celebrating murder and spitting in the face of religon is not peacfull! The trouble caused at these events should be proof enough that times have changed and the scottish people just dont want to put up with this crap any more! If the orange order want to congratulate themselves for the murder of millions of catholics throughout history then they should have the decency to do in private! I really hope it rains that day, all day, like proper pisses it down!!
Wot century are we in? How can this be allowed when it spouts so much hatred for Catholics n other creeds. This is disgusting n the people that follow this have proven time n time again that they cannot conduct themselves without instigating violence, bigotry, hatred. Shame on Glasgow!!!
These sort of Fests should be outlawed as so does the Orange Walk
The only reason that there request for this Fest is there are Orange Members on the committee end of. This is going to be a blood bath as it was last year when a 12 year old girl was badly scored by some idiot hitting her with a pint glass.
George your talking mince, what happened to that girl was because she was involved in the drinking and brawling , police Scotland seen it well before it kicked off yet chose to hang about the people’s palace,,as for this being a bloodbath AGAIN , this is the first time such an event has been held
So how about FACT NOT FICTION otherwise do not comment on setting you know nothing about!!!
seem to forget half the council are in the lodge !!!!!!! POLICE ALSO”!!!!
For someone who is not religious to see this is pretty disgusting in itself. A festival of hate and triumphalism. Just imagine a ‘WHITEFEST’ in the U.S.A. to show a previous dominance of white people. absolute joke that a country in 2015 condones this. PEOPLE will MAKE GLASGOW a sectarian city that Saturday. horrifying.
This is being “promoted” by local government????? This devisive, insular and psuedo-military organisation is being allowed to spread their hate message accross a city that is doing its best to rid itself of exactly this sort of mind bendingly outdated prejudice???? Glasgow will never rid itself of a lingering image of low-brow intolerance until all sectairian marches and show cases are banned. Get a grip ffs.
Is this a joke? The article reads like it’s straight from the daily mash, and yet I think this might happen. Disgusting.
This crap has to be stopped ,thank god for SNP government and motherwell fc
Wish the SNP could do something about it but as usual it was kept quiet till this week….. Wonder why. Like the quite about Motherwell too 😂😂😂
Brilliant, the SNP are going to do something about this.
What is it Paul that they are about to do? I’ve waited a long time to hear a word from them on this subject. They must be taking a precious few moments off from the Grand Project to kick more fitba fans and arm more police.
A welcome development, indeed. My breath is, indeed, bated for your reply.
It’s not been kept quiet and the SNP aren’t doing anything about it.
It may seem like a joke but this is actually going ahead, GCC tweeted today saying they aren’t allowed to refuse groups permission or something along those lines which is nonsense. They constantly pander to these bigots because they made clear what they can do (e.g the scenes in George Sq on Sept 19th). Also can I just say that the media,politicians and naive middle class folk tend to simplify it by saying that it’s just idiotic football fans, and “both sides are as bad as each other” – yet you try listening to a football team singing week in week out about wanting to be up to their knees in fenian blood while police look on. Catholics are more likely to be attacked in religious hate crimes as well. So we need to actually address these issues instead of making it out to be a simplistic rivalry between working class hooligans, because it is much much more than that.
When was the last time you heard TBB at a Rangers game? What about singing about the IRA?
Was that at the game no, it was at the Subway. How singing a song gets someone hurt and offended I don’t know but if you do then away stay in a cave. Hullo Hullo. Its a fucking song.
Isn’t “Doing the Bouncy” about stamping on a Catholic’s head in Northern Ireland? But these are just songs aye?
Are these the same thugs that caused all the trouble at the YES rally
Shame on you Glasgow.
The last Celtic V Rangers Game when The Hoops won 2…0 most!! of the 25.000 Bigoted Rangers Fans sang!! The words of Anti Catholic Songs on Live TV and that was for all of the Game and nothing was Done about it, Now the Orange Bigots will do the same and get away with it just because it’s played to Music!! on our Streets this Saturday, and GCC well know it!! Shame on you
As kids over 50 years ago before the city centre was cordonned off, we used to get taken to Belfast to watch “our brave boys” marching – is the biggest city in Scotland going back in time?
Are Glaswegians happy with this? Did they have any choice? If not, why not? And if not, these days there’s surely enough civic organisations on the ground to raise a strong protest where it matters.
What gets me about this is that I read recently that the Scottish Govt are pouring £3m into various anti-sectarian projects and the money seems to end up in the pockets of people who haven’t a scooby about the whole issue. Something about having to buy green or blue toothbrushes!?!? Meanwhile we have this nonsense smack in the middle of Yes city. The disease of sectarianism has to be dealt with head on. Very few are brave enough to do this. I believe the majority of Scots are being held hostage by those with vested interests on both sides of ‘the divide’. It’s supposed to be about religion but I doubt if most of the people involved in this game of hate are in any way ‘spiritual’.
is this Glasgow city councils reward to the orange order for getting all theyre brothers n sisters and theyre families voting NO in the recent referendum vote,,and will they all vote labour now to try and win back the 56 seats the SNP won recently…..
Concerned
Our City condemns sectarianism? REALLY this orange fest is a breeding ground for the behaviours we have been trying to minimise for years. To the councillors it would suit you people better to realise the extent that the parades and other events cause in terms of violence, extra police, and the fact that this is taxpayers money not yours. I find it interesting that this festival is only now coming to light for a majority of the residents of Glasgow. I am ashamed that the people running our city think this is acceptable and appear to live in some sort of bubble pretending that they are unaware of the aftermath this festival will leave. In parts of the East end of Glasgow there are sectarian flags hanging from street lights and yet nothing is done about it. The Police choose to ignore what is going on and will be there to clean up. I recognise that there will be people who feel they are there for the right reasons, but they also know that a percentage of the the people who turn up on Saturday are there for a drinking session and not for the reasons stated. I suggest that the councillors who have agreed to this to sit on the balcony at the city chambers on Saturday and witness the havoc, and unacceptable behaviours they have created by allowing this festival to go ahead. I also suggest that they ban all marches that have any element of sectarianism SHOCKING !
Plenty of outrage on here billy , as you can see you are outnumbered . As for Tommy Sheridan ,that was political and for people of all persuasions , nothing to do with religion…… Oh what am I saying, this has nothing to do with religion !!! I’m sitting next to a Protestant who is incensed that this is allowed to happen in our fair city !
It is strange that the Glasgow City Council Labour controlled mafia switched off the two CCTV cameras in the square during the last two indy events there. Now they are back on.
Utterly Disgraceful
Glasgow City Council!
What are you playing at?
We hold you to blame if this causes acts of violence towards an otherwise peaceful city!
Absolute disgrace having this in our city. A no go area on Saturday now for most folks. The council will reap what they have sown promoting this in a city in a country where the vast majority want this tribalism to be left in the past where it belongs
I cannot believe that this is being allowed!!The past 2 Saturdays there have been walks, I have been caught up in the traffic coming home from work at lunchtime,taking me 21/2 hours…why is this bigotry being allowed in 2015.Glasgow City Council,what are you thinking,really bad judgement call by all there.
This does not bode well. I’ll be staying in on Saturday.
How can it be billed as a “Cultural & Heritage” event when only half the city are invited?
I doubt very much the face painters will be painting Saltires.. Most likely Union Flags.
This is a deplorable act by GCC… Don’t they remember the events in George Sq the day after the
Referendum? Do they remember the clean up they had to do, the policing bills for that event?
Living in Glasgow I will be looking closely to see if it goes belly up and whether any costs incurred will be passed onto everyone in additional council tax fees..
I’ll be well out of Glasgow City centre that day that’s for sure!
Mike McCurry lol ! Referee mistakes even themselves out don’t forget , I can’t believe this ,you couldn’t make it up ,
This stinking backward bigoted organisation should be totally barred from public places . why can’t they hire a big warehouse and play their poisonous tunes and march about to their hearts content and leave the decent members of the public in peace .