Events

Chain of Freedom Pensioners for Independence

Chain of Freedom – We Did It!

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Mary McCabe, of our Greater Glasgow group, organised our section on the Forth & Clyde Canal for the Chain of Freedom Event on 14th October. Here is her report back:

Mary writes:

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The Chain of Freedom on October 14th was more successful than we had dared to hope. And Pensioners for Indy played our part in it!

At the time I left the house to go to our allotted section 3E at Bishopbriggs, I had exactly 40 on my list. I was thinking well I don’t expect all 40 will actually turn up. If we get 25 that’ll be a good showing. In fact 54 turned up for our section! Not my figures: the count was carried out by Christian the official appointed steward for our section.

The weather was glorious and we looked and sounded cheery and lovely with our flags and banners strung along the bank of the gleaming canal.

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Rumours Are Spreading : Did Unionists try to sabotage the event?

Apparently there were  a few blank sections where nobody appeared. Mary heard that this was because Unionists (either human or bots) had registered by the hundred and filled up some of the sections thus stopping genuine activists from getting in. Next time – and there will be a next time of some kind – the organisers will be wise to the possibility of underhand tactics.

Thanks, Mary, to you and all your companions on Section 3E. Meanwhile on Section 2A at Knightswood and Clydebank in Glasgow more of our members were enjoying themselves. You’ll maybe recognise some of them in this clip.

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Our friends, Marlene and Fiona of the IndyPodcaster Team (they’re also members of Pensioners for Indy) have made this longer souvenir video of the event. It’s got more footage from Knightswood, some from near the Falkirk Wheel, from Bonnybridge, and from Kelvinhead, a drone’s eye view, and the Silent Clansman in his canoe!

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See you all next year! Because we’re sure the Chain of Freedom team are thinking about a possible follow-up event….

Edinburgh Rally for Independence

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Pensioners for Independence joined 25,000 other supporters of independence (figures from Edinburgh Polis) for the March down the Royal Mile to Holyrood and the Rally outside Parliament.

Here are some photos from our Glasgow Group

Were you there? If you were, send us your photos and we’ll add them here.

Another of the Glasgow Group was there as one of the Scottish Independence Podcast team.

Here’s their souvenir video.

Thanks to Believe in Scotland and Yes for EU for organising the event. You were brill. And you even got the sun to shine!

If you haven’t heard the speeches they will be available on Scottish Independence Podcasts on Friday 8th Sept.

Glasgow Pensioners take on the UK Governor General!

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Our Greater Glasgow group are out on our stalls twice a week in the city centre in Argyl St, and every fortnight out in Milngavie. But later this month they have a different sort o action planned: a demonstration outside the UK Government Glasgow Hub in Atlantic Square, Glasgow, G2 8JQ.

The Scottish Independence Podcast team met up with Mary McCabe to find out more:

Everyone is welcome to join in. Just turn up at midday or thereabouts for an hour.

Please share this blog post and the video.

Back to the Streets…Paisley March

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We March Again Under the One Banner

Mary McCabe writes:

All Under One Banner are on the go again. On March 5th 2,500 (or 3000 or 3,500 depending on who’s counting) pro-indy activists gathered once more; this time in Ferguslie Park Paisley. Nothing like the 100,000 who used to sweep through Glasgow and Edinburgh. Not in the same league as the 20,000 who made it over seas and rough roads to remote Campbeltown. But for these cautious, post-lockdown times, with many people still shielding and others fallen out of the way of campaigning or even of travelling beyond their hometown, I call that a good start. 

Greater Glasgow branch of Pensioners for Independence played a full part.

On this occasion the route ended where it began. So it was a lot easier to erect the gazebo together, then leave two of us (Sheena and Rosalyn) in charge of the stall while the rest of us (Mary, Heather, Isabel, Phil, Neil and Frankie the dug) carried the banner on the rally. 

Unlike the last two occasions (where pro-indy rallies were organised in Glasgow and in Edinburgh during a hiatus in the lockdown) we were permitted to follow a central, high profile route, right down the High Street and past the University of the West of Scotland. Everywhere we were warmly greeted by the locals. There was no sign of the half-dozen or so counter-revolutionaries who used to huddle together at some point on our route, glaring and waving handfuls of Union flags. 

Back in the Park…

Back at the park there was a proper rally, albeit with fewer stalls than in the past. There were stalls from the Low Rent activists and from the Socialists. Artists displayed their work, including a range of beautifully decorated slates. There were no commercial kiosks, but volunteers at one of the stalls provided sandwiches, hot drinks and home baking. 

The rally was jointly organised by AUOB and by Make Poverty History. The theme was support for beleaguered Ukraine. The Ukrainian national anthem was played. Speakers included politicians such as George Adam MSP, a range of representatives from socialist groups and of course Ukrainians. Rosalyn provided a Ukrainian flag for our stall, to fly alongside the usual Saltire. 

There was home baking from Sheena and from Colin’s wife Morag (Granular Tsars, so a Russian theme). We had jewellery made by Sheena and Yes Stones painted by Sheena and Heather. Donations to the stall were very welcome!

Most importantly:

AUOB have already organised more monthly marches in different towns throughout the rest of the year. The next is planned for Arbroath on the 2nd of April, as a (delayed!) celebration of the 700th anniversary of the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath. The one after that will be Glasgow, on 14th May.

After the (still lingering) pandemic, after the numerous lockdowns, it’s great to declare to the world: the indy movement is still here, we’re still determined and we’re back marching!