CAMPAIGNERS have been invited to join a march and rally in Berlin organised by a group of Germans who support Scottish independence.

The event is planned for September 2 when marchers will file past the British Embassy, the office of the European Commission and the Reichstag before hearing from speakers and musicians.

It follows a march in April in the Netherlands in support of Scottish independence.

Crowdfunding has begun for the Berlin event with flyers, leaflets and other merchandise also being sold by the Germans for Independence group. It is hoped that the march and rally will be international, with the Catalan and Basque communities also taking part.

Group founder Marco Görlach has now called for help with publicising the event. “In Germany we do not get much publicity and we need to try to get as many people to Berlin as possible,” he said. “Help us to reach people in Germany and support us by showing our flags, badges and stickers or donate to keep us working.”

Görlach said support in Germany for Scottish independence has grown since the Brexit vote last year which had “changed everything”.

“Germans in Scotland and Scots in Germany are activated and fighting with us now,” he said. “We stand for a peaceful Europe and solidarity for the people. Our group officially is against Brexit.

“Since Brexit we have been working more effectively and have a better network. For the public we have a website, a Facebook page and a Twitter account. For members there is a closed group on Facebook.”

Görlach said the group is cross-party and democratic but without a definite hierarchy and individual members represent radical left-wing as well as business-orientated views.

“There are many different thoughts and ideas on issues like Nato membership for an independent Scotland, the future currency and the position of the monarchy. However, the opinions and views of each individual do not necessarily represent those of the group as a whole. Mutual acceptance and respect is our top priority, as much as Scotland’s independence is our consensus.”

However Görlach, a factory worker and trade unionist from Pößneck, added that those with extreme right-wing ideals were not welcome.

“Germans for Scottish Independence remain united by the progressive goals of the independence movement. In particular, we support the removal of British weapons of mass destruction from Scotland, energy transition, peaceful internationalism, the safeguarding and expansion of social standards, free and classless education, a free and fair health system as well as EU membership and much more,” he said.

“We’re not speaking for parties, governments or companies. In Germany we’re friends only and in Scotland we’re people who chose Scotland as home.

“In my opinion Europe needs an independent, progressive, peaceful, ecologically sustainable and socially fair Scotland. This is our chance to build a better Europe. Europeans need strong progressive impulses.”

Görlach says he became “crazy” about Scotland after first visiting in 1991 and is now a member of the SNP. He set up Germans for Independence in the run-up to the referendum in 2014 but was shocked when he was then abused online by “Britnats”.

“Again and again they insulted me as a Nazi and racist,” he said. “What irony. They said I must hate England yet the heroes of my youth were the band Depeche Mode and I wear Barbour jackets, Craghoppers clothing and rubber boots from Hunter. I owned three Land Rovers and I did many nice trips to England as well. To call me anti-English is nonsense.

“’m anti-nationalist but fighting for Scottish independence. That’s all.”