MARCHES for independence across Scotland that were planned to go ahead from April have been cancelled by the organiser.
All Under One Banner (AUOB) has organised 22 marches across Scotland since 2014 with one in January 2020 attracting more than 80,000 people following the December 2019 Westminster election.
Once the coronavirus pandemic arrived and lockdown restrictions were imposed, the group called off all scheduled marches in 2020 but did arrange three static rallies where social distancing measures were observed.
The following marches have now been cancelled: Arbroath, April 3; Glasgow, May 1; Peebles, June 12; Bannockburn, June 26; Elgin, July 3 and Kirkcaldy, August 7.
The group says that in place of these marches, static rallies will again take place in the locations and on the given days.
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In a blog post, AUOB founder and national organiser Neil MacKay said: "It is with regret that we have made this decision for we know that everyone is keen to take to the streets again; that we are all desperate to get out and about to take action and eager to reconnect and be amongst people after what feels like an aeon of isolation.
"However what matters most is that mass gatherings take place when they are safe to do so; safe not just for the participants who make the marches happen, but safe for the population of Scotland at large – whether they support independence or not, and so this is the correct course of action to take."
Two marches planned in 2021 will go ahead, however, as AUOB says it is "foreseeable that both will be able to proceed and be all that we want them to be".
These marches will be in Stirling on September 11 and Edinburgh on October 2.
Mackay added that if any march is able to safely take place before September then they will organise them "giving everyone 28 days' notice for a march to take place in one of the cities and happening on a Saturday for maximum participation".
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