A RANGERS fan group is to join protests against Glasgow City Council following claims that the council discriminates against Protestants.
The Vanguard Bears shared a post announcing their intention to join a planned demonstration on April 27 organised by the Scottish Protestants Against Discrimination (SPAD).
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It comes after the council made the decision to reroute a planned parade involving the Apprentice Boys of Derry which had planned to pass St Alphonsus church, were parish priest Cannon Tom White was spat at during an Orange Walk last year.
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Taking to Twitter to announce the move, the Vanguard Bears wrote: "Meet at 12.30pm on April 27 at George Square, Glasgow to protest against discrimination of our culture.
"Enough is enough."
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The statement from the SPAD said: "The decision taken yesterday by Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland is a clear attack on the Culture and Beliefs of the Protestant people of Scotland and in doing so have created a 'No Go Area' for Protestants.
"The right to assemble in a public place is a key civil and political right, and as such the state has a positive obligation to protect and facilitate and the exercise of that right."
The protest will take place outside the city chambers.
A spokesman for GCC branded the claims a "fundamental misunderstanding".
He said: “This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the legislation on public processions.
“There is no such thing as a no-go area for any organisation. In reality, a procession passed the site in question earlier this year.
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“In the case of the event planned for Easter Sunday, our Public Processions Committee heard evidence from Police Scotland that there was a significant potential for serious disorder if the procession went ahead on its intended route.
"This was based on intelligence relating to protests and counter-protests on the day.”
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