Marching season…….why is it allowed?

Fundamental rights of assembly and expression?

These parades hold deep historical and cultural significance, especially for the Protestant community, commemorating events like the Battle of the Boyne.

The Parades Commission, works to balance these rights with public order and safety - all within the peace process.

They are an anachronism - something which should be consigned to the history books. No room for that kind of sectarianism in this day and age. Yes, freedom of expression and all that - but you only need to look at the trouble which follows them, especially in some areas here in Scotland. And yes, I do actually know some people who are members of the Orange Order and they are some of the most bigoted individuals I've ever had the misfortune to meet.

My brother lives in Glasgow. Last week was the peak of Orange band marching season there as well as other towns throughout the UK. There was major traffic disruption as tens of thousands of bands paraded from their own localities and eventually merged.

My brother headed out early to escape the din 🥁 but mistimed his homeward journey. His 20 min bus journey was rerouted due to the marchers and took 90 mins to get home. He wasn’t a happy bunny!

Many of those bands will be in N.I this weekend.

I meant to say tens of thousands of marchers not bands! Most bands had 100+ plus marchers and some were much bigger . Some were bussed in from outlying areas early in the morning to start their parades on the outskirts of the city

Just making unnecessary trouble. Long past time for them to end.

I don't understand it at all. The herd mentality.

The trouble with "It shouldn't be allowed" is that it is the thin end of the wedge. If you ban the marches, what else will you be pressed to ban? Where do you draw the line? Under a totalitarian government, the line would be to ban the expression of any belief or opinion which differed from that of the regime, however peacefully it is shown. The US looks to be teetering on the edge of that already.

Yes, that's the dilemma I have with it, Elegran. I do think the marches are something which should be consigned to history, but I admit to having misgivings about 'banning' them as such - for the exact same reasons you have outlined.

Culture ? They March up and down rather like the Nazi did in Germany and set alight the Irish Flag ? How is that their Culture ?

Any violence after the 12th would be insignificant to that if any bans were proposed, chances of enforcing them are nil too,

They take place in Scotland too, and often cause a resurgance of ill-feeling between Protestants and Catholics.

As far as I know in no democracy can people be prevented from holding the anniversaries of historical events.

It is just highly unfortunate, when these cause riots, fights or other unfortunate occurences.

Elegran

The trouble with "It shouldn't be allowed" is that it is the thin end of the wedge. If you ban the marches, what else will you be pressed to ban? Where do you draw the line? Under a totalitarian government, the line would be to ban the expression of any belief or opinion which differed from that of the regime, however peacefully it is shown. The US looks to be teetering on the edge of that already.

Exactly.

Look there are many marches I would love to ban but if I support those bans I can't complain when marches/protests for the causes I support are banned. So I therefore don't support the banning of anything.

Galaxy

Look there are many marches I would love to ban but if I support those bans I can't complain when marches/protests for the causes I support are banned. So I therefore don't support the banning of anything.

How about the banning of banning?🤭

I do actually know some people who are members of the Orange Order and they are some of the most bigoted individuals I've ever had the misfortune to meet

Me too.

Anyone who has misgivings about the Freemasons and their ‘dealings’ would be shocked to know some of the things that go on within the Orange order.

The July 12th celebrations are parades not marches. The military march. A parade celebrates something. In this case, the Battle of the Boyne. This battle went a long way to halting the advance of Louis X1V in France. It was the Battle of Aughrim that settled the war in Ireland. There are now only about 30,000 members of the Order. Times move on, landmarks like this become less important as the world changes. BUT, they can still be used by the powers that be to divide and rule a population. Look around the world and see how divisions can be used to set one group against another. The two parts of Ireland get off lightly if an annual parade is the only thing to get worked up about. Live and let live.

merlotgran

^I do actually know some people who are members of the Orange Order and they are some of the most bigoted individuals I've ever had the misfortune to meet^

Me too.

Anyone who has misgivings about the Freemasons and their ‘dealings’ would be shocked to know some of the things that go on within the Orange order.

Are they mostly men? Why do they gravitate to this stuff?

Yes I can remember attending Orange Marches in Scotland as a child.

Lafergar "Are they mostly men? Why do they gravitate to this stuff?" I think some men have a built-in wish to be the boss and control others. They join clubs and societies with like-minded others and enjoy marching through the territory showing off their strength and solidarity with each other. In places where there are noticeable contrasts between one culture and another, it underlines their commitment to one ideology or the other. Montagues and Capulets, in Romeo and Juliet

Not all men.

Rossnowlagh in Co. Donegal in the Irish Republic have bands from both Catholics and Protestants. It’s a great family day out.

Here in Co. Durham we have the Durham Miners Gala remembering and supporting mining communities with a political rally thrown in, also great for families and politicos alike. This year the DMG had a Pride contingent as well as trade unions etc.

Remembering the past is one thing, glorifying it is quite another.

lafergar
Are they mostly men? Why do they gravitate to this stuff?

Here’s a photo from BBC website from Belfast today

I don't agree with them either and remember a friend who was from Glasgow telling me about them there, but if you tried to ban them I am sure they would fight it through the courts saying freedom of religious views etc.

In 2024, there were 352 Orange and loyalist parades across 19 local authorities.
Sectarianism displayed at its worst.
I too have known many members and supporters of the Orange Order (and/or loyalist orders - The Derry Boys are a separate entity in Scotland).
They strive to march/walk in contentious areas, passing Catholic churches, schools etc. Policing costs a fortune. The general public avoid the areas for fear of violence. The parades promote nasty, historical bigotry and there should be no place for it in modern Scottish society.

That's a Scottish perspective.