ABOUT 1000 people are set to march through Edinburgh later this month to commemorate city-born Irish republican James Connolly.
The estimate is more than double the number who took part in last year's event when violence flared.
Lothian and Borders Police have indicated that previous experience of the annual event suggested the likelihood this year of ''organised opposition''.
In a report to licensing councillors considering an application by the James Connolly Society, the force said that with ''appropriate, concentrated attention'' the event could be policed, ''albeit at some risk of public disorder''.
The organisers of the May 30 march and rally, which will involve several republican flute bands, have invited Sinn Fein to be represented among the speakers.
They are also expecting a large presence from the west of Scotland, and have already held talks with Lothian and Borders police about the event.
In a report going before the licensing committee on Friday, the police say that: ''Previous experience with the event suggests that there is a likelihood of organised opposition.
''A number of concerns were highlighted during the 1997 event, namely a lack of effective stewarding and an initial unwillingness of the participants to comply with police instructions regarding banners and placards.''
Chief Superintendent Andrew Walker, on behalf of the chief constable, said there were no objections to approval for the march being given provided the James Connolly Society accepted a number of conditions.
These included the presence of sufficient stewards, the appearance of only one tricolor to be at the head of the parade, no ''inflammatory'' banners, and no staves or large poles attached to placards or banners during the march.
If the licensing committee considered approval, said the police officer, the necessity for compliance of the conditions ''should be emphasised in the strongest possible terms''.
Mr Jim Slaven, of the James Connolly Society, asked in a letter to the committee for a personal hearing to put the organisers' case. He said that the event would follow the traditional route through the Grassmarket and Chambers Street to the Meadows.
He said the organisers were awaiting confirmation from Sinn Fein, the Labour Party, the Scottish National Party, and trade unions about speakers.
Violence erupted last year when rival groups confronted the 400 marchers in the area around Edinburgh University at Teviot Place. A number of arrests were made at the event, which was addressed by Sinn Fein activist Michelle Gildernew.
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