The Apprentice Boys of Derry Inverness Campsie Club is planning to march through the city centre on 5th April.

It will follow a similar route to the one held last year when permission was given for such an event for the first time in 20 years — despite widespread disquiet and concern it could stir up religious sectarianism.

This year's parade will start at Green Drive and go along Culduthel Road, View Place and Cavell Gardens, finishing at Portland Place. Up to 180 marchers, including top-ranking senior officials from Northern Ireland and two bands from Glasgow, are expected to take part.

Although city councillors yesterday were unanimously opposed to the march, council officials and Northern Constabulary agreed it could proceed.

Under the European Convention on Human Rights, the law does not allow the council to prevent or control marches and parades on land which it does not own unless the risk to public safety outweighs the presumption of freedom of expression.

Irish councillor John Holden was furious at the prospect, saying the event had no place in Inverness. "This is despicable," he said. "We had one here last year and the public spoke and weren't amused and neither was I. While those argue for their human rights, I don't think they should have any rights in spreading their cancer."

The march commemorates the siege of Derry in 1688-89 when 13 apprentice boys shut the gates of the mainly Protestant city against the oncoming forces of the Catholic King James and issued the famous cry of "No Surrender". In the past, there has been controversy over the society holding parades in other areas where there have been violent clashes.

SNP group leader John Finnie believed it should be made clear the parade was not welcome in the city.

"I'm extremely disappointed that the Highlands, which is seen as a welcoming multi-cultural place, is going to have this rabble inflicted upon it," he said.

"The reality is that we have a large number of migrants from Eastern Europe, the vast majority of whom will be practising Roman Catholics and I would have great difficulty explaining to them the relevance of this imported mob."

It would be problematic to explain to residents of his Inverness Ness-side ward why police were at the march rather than serving its communities, Councillor Finnie added.

The whole parade should be held up to public ridicule, stated Inverness Millburn Lib-Dem councillor Kenneth MacLeod.

About 150 marchers, including senior Loyalist officials from Northern Ireland and a band from the Protestant Loyal Order, were given permission to take part in last year's three-mile march in Inverness.

The parade, which passed peacefully, was accompanied by a highly-visible police presence.

Last year's inaugural march also marked the launch of a new Inverness branch of the Campsie Club — named after Henry Campsie who led the apprentices in shutting the gates of Derry.

Stewart MacColl, president of the Inverness Campsie Club, last night defended the proposed march. "It is just our annual parade," he said. "Hopefully, it will go off as peacefully as last year."

Mr MacColl denied the parade would stir up sectarianism in the area and accused the councillors and media of drawing attention to the event.

He said Apprentice Boys of Derry was a growing movement and claimed to have at least 50 members in Inverness.

Billy Moore, general secretary of the Apprentice Boys of Derry, will attend the Inverness parade along with assistant general secretary, Craig Stevenson, and James Brownlee, governor of the organisation.

"We don't see ourselves as a sectarian organisation," Mr Stevenson said.

"We are a historical and commemorative organisation."

v.sweeney@inverness-courier.co.uk

andrew.dixon@inverness-courier.co.uk

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