MORE than 1000 Republican supporters, accompanied by up to six bands, will parade through the centre of Edinburgh at the end of this month.

Edinburgh City Licensing Committee yesterday gave permission for the annual James Connolly Society march and rally to take place on May 30.

Assistant Chief Constable Tom Wood said the parade would be following ''the usual format, the same march, the same route and the same time''.

He added: ''We are content with that route and time''. Mr Wood said the police were, however, unhappy with flags or placards being carried on fairly heavy sticks or staves. ''We have seen in other parts of the country these being used as weapons or throwing instruments. We wish to avoid that in Edinburgh.''

March organiser Jim Slaven assured the councillors that flags and placards would be mounted on garden canes.

Other conditions include no inflammatory or obscene placards to be displayed.