ORGANISERS of Saturday’s march for independence are predicting it will be the largest event of its kind ever seen in Scotland.

According to the leadership of All Under One Banner (AUOB), up to 300,000 people could turn up for the march and rally in Glasgow on January 11.

The estimate is based on the number of people who have notified AUOB through social media to say they will be going.

The organisation’s Facebook page has 60,000 declarations of intent so far – three times the number that said they were going to attend the last Edinburgh march which attracted around 200,000 people.

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“That is the biggest number for any event page we have had and in our experience when dealing with these Facebook event pages it is a good indicator of a much larger number,” said Neil Mackay of AUOB.

“Between 20,000 and 25,000 people clicked on to say they were going to the Edinburgh march and, if all goes to plan and the numbers match, this may well be the biggest march ever seen in Scotland.

“The Make Poverty History march in Edinburgh in 2003 had about 250,000–300,000 and we have the capacity to beat that.

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“There are no guarantees but all the indicators are for this to be the biggest march in Scottish history.”

He said that the recent General Election, which returned the Tories to power in Westminster, as well as the Brexit debacle were motivating people to sign up for the march and it was now up to the Scottish Government to lobby for another independence referendum.

“The Scottish Government has got to press forward and take this all the way but we are a bit worried because some MPs are now saying to hold back,” said Mackay.

“We want them to fight and push; we want more than words. Everybody is pissed off with Brexit and pissed off with the Tories but we are not quite content with the SNP either in all honesty.”

Depute SNP leader Keith Brown will be speaking at the rally with Clanadonia, the tribal drumming band, kicking the event off.

“It will be a short winter rally for an hour as we are not going to have people hanging about for ages,” said Mackay.

The march will begin at Kelvingrove Park and make its way through the city centre, taking in the symbolic Union Street and heading along the Clyde so it is visible from the motorway, before ending at Glasgow Green.

Organisation is going smoothly, according to AUOB. Their 2020 calendars, which will help fund costs such as staging, are selling well, with many being ordered by the Scottish diaspora across the globe.

The National: The march for independence will begin in Kelvingrove park in Glasgow at 11:30am on January 11The march for independence will begin in Kelvingrove park in Glasgow at 11:30am on January 11

THOSE marching on Saturday will include the Pitt family of seven from Kilbarchan who will be going on their very first independence march.

Dad David said he had actually voted No in the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum but had changed his mind because of everything that had happened since.

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“I voted No because I was doing a lot of work in the north of England and I thought that without us these communities would be trashed. I thought I couldn’t vote Yes in good conscience but I have come full circle and realise that if we are going to have a future we have to be independent. I have five kids aged 15 to 23 and we have to do this for their future.

“I feel a bit ashamed I voted No but we need people like me to come over if we are going to get independence. Of course, we can’t stop there but we once we have it, we can start transforming society as there is no chance we can get the society we want based on fairness and welcoming people if we are tied to what’s down there.

“The only protection we have at the moment is the Scottish Government and they won’t be able to take away the worst of it. Every day we don’t do it is a day lost. I think it is a bit like an abusive relationship and we need to build up the courage to break away. I can’t understand how they can say no to us – if people want to leave then let them leave. It’s abusive if you don’t.

“We have to start the journey and be in control. It’s the only way or we will be continually undermined.”

Along with David will be his wife, Geraldine, and Monica, Felicity, Vincent, Magdalene and Francesca and their dog, Bobo.

“My son told me he didn’t see a future for us being part of the UK,” said David.

“He said he doesn’t feel British, he feels European and he is looking at what is happening here with horror. It doesn’t make sense to him.

“One of our daughters also said this march was historic and we had to make a stand. We have got to turn up because if we don’t, they are going to say it is just a minority that want independence but you can’t say that with 300,000 people there.”

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The former Labour voter added: “There is nothing wrong with people here deciding we want a different future. Internationalism and nationalism are not normally bedfellows but we can’t change society on what we have now.

‘‘If we choose a different path the rest might see we have managed to do it.

“I did a bit of travelling in northern Europe and if they can make it work in a country like Denmark where they have not got a fraction of our natural wealth then surely we can make it work, but we are being dragged away from Europe and into this British Empire garbage.

“We want to be international and part of Europe but our internationalism is being taken away from us.”

The emergency march and rally will take place just over two and a half weeks ahead of Scotland leaving the European Union – along with the rest of the UK – on January 31, despite 62% of Scots voters backing remaining in the EU.

People are invited to assemble from 10.30am in Kelvingrove Park on January 11, leaving there at 11.30am.