logo
Orange Order hit out at online trolls after Glasgow march

Orange Order hit out at online trolls after Glasgow march

Glasgow Times07-05-2025

The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland has called for 'urgent action' on 'rising anti-Protestant hate'.
It comes after members of the Ladies Orange Association of Scotland held an Orange walk in the city on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
As part of the march, hundreds of women paraded through the city centre streets. We reported that around 500 people were expected to take part, including Orange bands.
Following the event, the Grand Orange Lodge has claimed some of its members have been 'subjected to deeply offensive online abuse'.
According to the Lodge, trolls have targeted its members for 'expressing their faith and culture'.
(Image: Newsquest) They also revealed the abuse has 'caused serious emotional distress' to some of its members as well.
Due to the alleged trolling, the Orange Order has urged the Scottish Government and Police to 'take urgent action'.
The Order's Most Worthy Grand Master has also written to the First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, to request an 'immediate meeting' to discuss the abuse.
READ MORE: Big Orange walk to take place in Glasgow
READ MORE: Orange Order reacts to Police Scotland decision on 'hate crime'
In a statement, they said: "The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland continues to highlight and condemn in the strongest terms the continued rise of anti-Protestant hatred across our country.
"This troubling trend was once again evident following the recent Ladies Orange Association of Scotland's annual church parade held on Sunday, April 27, in Glasgow.
"Members of our association have been subjected to deeply offensive online abuse, targeted solely for expressing their faith and culture.
"This level of abuse has caused serious emotional distress, with some members experiencing trauma and mental health issues as a result of the level of abuse.
"No other denomination in Scotland would be expected to tolerate such hostility, and the Protestant community is no different.
"We will not accept this double standard in a modern Scotland.
"The Ladies Orange Association of Scotland is a Christian-based fraternity that upholds values of faith, service, and community.
"Our members, and the wider Loyal Orange Institution, contribute positively and actively within their local communities, often working quietly and tirelessly for the good of all.
"The level of sectarian abuse directed at the Protestant community cannot be allowed to continue unchecked.
"We call upon the Scottish Government and law enforcement agencies to take urgent action.
"The Loyal Orange Institution demands that those responsible for this online hate be identified, investigated, and brought to justice.
"Furthermore, the Most Worthy Grand Master has personally written to the First Minister of Scotland to request an immediate meeting to discuss this unacceptable and ongoing abuse toward our community.
"We urge the First Minister to respond swiftly and meaningfully.
"Hate has no place in a tolerant and equal society.
"All communities in Scotland deserve respect, safety, and protection -without exception.
"The Executive of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland stands in full support of the Most Worthy Grand Mistress and the Executive of the Ladies Orange Association of Scotland during this difficult time.
"We offer our solidarity and support as they face unacceptable abuse, and we remain united in our commitment to defend and uphold the rights and dignity of our Protestant community and the Loyal Orange Institution of Scotland."
The Scottish Government and Police Scotland have been contacted for comment.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Head of controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation refuses to reveal who funds it
Head of controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation refuses to reveal who funds it

NBC News

timean hour ago

  • NBC News

Head of controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation refuses to reveal who funds it

TEL AVIV — The new executive chairman for the controversial American-backed humanitarian organization distributing aid in the Gaza Strip refused to reveal the donors who are financing the agency, though he did tell NBC News that to his knowledge the group is not funded by the Israeli government. Johnnie Moore, an evangelical Christian and former PR consultant who advised President Donald Trump during his first term, was appointed executive chairman of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) last week as the organization reeled from the resignation of his predecessor. It has also faced criticism from the United Nations and aid groups for a lack of independence from Israel, which backs the organization along with the U.S. Since it started operating late last month, the group has set up aid distribution sites in Gaza in response to international pressure over serious malnutrition in Gaza, where Israel recently lifted an 11-week complete blockade on food, aid and medical supplies entering the enclave. But regular bouts of deadly violence in and around those sites has also brought increasing scrutiny on the GHF's source of funding and the degree of autonomy it has from Israel. In an exclusive interview with NBC News last week, Moore said it was 'a private foundation.' 'Like lots of private foundations, you know, it doesn't disclose its donors,' he said. 'Anything that we do and anything that we say publicly is going to distract from the mission, and we have one mission, just one mission, which is to feed Gazans.' Pressed on accusations that Israel was financing and controlling the organization, Moore said that 'based upon what I know, this is an independent initiative that is not funded by the Israeli government.' Other questions have also swirled around the GHF, even before it launched four aid distribution points in southern and central Gaza. A day before it began operations in the strip, Moore's predecessor Jake Wood resigned, saying in a letter published by Reuters that continuing to work with the group would compromise his 'neutrality, impartiality and independence.' United Nations agencies and major aid groups that previously ran hundreds of community kitchens and bakeries in the enclave have also refused to cooperate with it, saying it violates humanitarian principles by allowing Israel to decide who receives aid, forces widespread displacement in Gaza, and concentrates distribution in areas that may not be accessible to everyone. Setting up so few sites for food distribution meant crowd control problems were inevitable, according to Ciaran Donnelly, the senior vice president for international programs at the International Rescue Committee, which ran major relief operations in Gaza. 'No aid organization would recommend doing it that way,' he said. Inside Israel, as well, critics have questioned its independence. Last month in front of Israel's legislature, opposition leader Yair Lapid, without providing evidence, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of funding the GHF through foreign shell companies. And last week, citing unnamed public officials, Israel's public broadcaster, Kan, reported that the Israeli government had sent hundreds of millions of shekels to the group. Israel's government has repeatedly denied it funds the GHF. Any organization 'being used by occupying powers' would not be able to carry out its task according to the humanitarian principles of impartiality and independence, said Philip Grant, the executive director of TRIAL International, a Geneva-based nongovernmental organization that advocates for victims of war crimes. TRIAL International has called on the Swiss government to investigate GHF, whose only registered presence outside the U.S. is in Geneva. While the GHF has said it is working to open new sites, including in northern Gaza, no such distribution points have opened yet, forcing some Palestinians with advanced injuries and disabilities to walk long distances for aid — often through dangerous areas and extreme heat. Such onerous requirements for something as basic as food could amount to war crimes, Grant said, and could even lead to accusations that organizations like GHF are complicit. 'This operation comes with a huge risk in terms of violations of the Geneva Conventions,' Grant said. 'Especially the forced displacement of populations, which, if carried out, would be a participation in the war crime of enforced displacement of civilian population.'

‘We couldn't have scripted this better': The White House is thrilled with how events are unfolding in LA
‘We couldn't have scripted this better': The White House is thrilled with how events are unfolding in LA

The Independent

timean hour ago

  • The Independent

‘We couldn't have scripted this better': The White House is thrilled with how events are unfolding in LA

Los Angeles may resemble a war zone, with thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines deployed in response to widespread anti-immigration raid protests, but the Trump White House reportedly couldn't be happier about the politics of the situation. 'We couldn't have scripted this better,' a senior White House aide told The Atlantic of the dynamic inside the Oval Office. 'It's like the 2024 election never ended: Trump is strong while Democrats are weak and defending the indefensible.' Trump insiders reportedly believe that the images of the protests, which have featured both large-scale peaceful demonstrations and multiple days of violence against police and immigration officers, as well as protesters burning vehicles and holding Mexican flags, play into the administration's message. On the campaign trail, Trump frequently claimed Democrats are weak on law and order, while alleging most immigrants are violent national security threats, despite data showing the opposite. 'This is what America voted for, period,' a Trump adviser told NBC News. 'This is the America First focus that got the president elected and is driven by nothing else than what he promised American voters.' 'Look at the violence, the attacks on law enforcement,' the adviser added. 'If Democrats want to support that, let them. This is why we win elections and they do not.' Trump has long valorized the military and called for them to form part of an aggressive response to civil unrest, reportedly sparring with his first term Defense Secretary Mark Esper over his opposition to sending active-duty troops to counter 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and allegedly asking if troops could 'shoot them in the legs or something.' During his first term, Trump ultimately deferred to state governors on whether to call up National Guard troops to respond to the 2020 protests, and governors in 32 states and Washington, D.C., ultimately did. This time around, Trump does not want to appeal to local leaders and is forging ahead on his own, including federalizing the California National Guard over the wishes of Los Angeles and state leaders, who have sued. 'Trump seems super intent on a very different path now, with a serious show of righteous force to protect American lives and property,' Steve Cortes, a longtime Trump adviser, told Politico. Another key force for the military-led response has been White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner who has repeatedly accused California officials of being in open rebellion against the government and its migration policies, a potential prelude to the White House invoking the emergency Insurrection Act. "Stephen has been clear in all the meetings: More military, faster," a Trump adviser told Axios. Top Democrats in California have accused the Trump administration of deliberately trying to provoke a crisis as a means to seize more power, first with heavy-duty immigration raids and then by invoking emergency powers to send military troops in to respond to the protests that followed. 'Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves,' California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a nationally televised speech Tuesday evening. 'But they do not stop there. Trump and his loyalists thrive on division because it allows them to take more power and exert even more control.' Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, meanwhile, has said the White House is using the crisis as a lab 'experiment.' 'This is chaos that was started in Washington,' Bass said Monday during a press conference. An outlier in his party, Senator John Fetterman has accused his fellow Democrats of losing 'the moral high ground' over the crisis by what he said was a refusal to 'condemn setting cars on fire, destroying buildings, and assaulting law enforcement.' Democratic leaders have generally condemned the violence and called for peaceful protest, while being sharply critical of the Trump administration's response. The Los Angeles crisis has also likely provided a welcome distraction from last week's major political scandal, the acrimonious public split between Trump and his former top ally, Elon Musk, who savaged the president's Big, Beautiful Bill spending package and accused Trump of being tied to the Jeffrey Epstein pedophilia scandal. In recent days, Trump and Musk have signaled they could be open to a reconciliation.

UK Government's £50m pledge for Casement Park an enormous step forward – O'Neill
UK Government's £50m pledge for Casement Park an enormous step forward – O'Neill

South Wales Guardian

time3 hours ago

  • South Wales Guardian

UK Government's £50m pledge for Casement Park an enormous step forward – O'Neill

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly responded by stating that sport across Northern Ireland is 'crying out for financial support'. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn confirmed that the £50 million is ringfenced for the rebuild of the west Belfast GAA stadium and cannot be spent on other projects by the Stormont Executive. The money was included in Chancellor Rachel Reeves' spending review, which outlines the UK Government's spending plans over the coming years. Ireland's deputy premier Simon Harris said it is 'past time for the redevelopment of this historic venue to get under way'. Plans for a 34,000-capacity stadium have been mired in uncertainty because of a major funding gap of around £150 million. Today marks a significant step forward in the redevelopment of Casement Park, as the British government joins the Executive, the Irish government, and the GAA in committing funding. In every meeting I've had with the British government, I've made the case for funding Casement… — Michelle O'Neill (@moneillsf) June 11, 2025 The Government announcement includes £50 million over four years to support the currently derelict stadium being developed. Ms O'Neill said: 'Casement Park is an Executive flagship project and is more than just a sporting venue, it will serve as an economic driver for the surrounding communities and region, creating jobs and attracting investment. 'Today's commitment of substantial funding from the British Government marks an enormous step forward. It is time for all of us to pull together to now get Casement built.' Stormont ministers committed £62.5 million to Casement in 2011, as part of a strategy to revamp it along with football's Windsor Park and the rugby ground at Ravenhill. While the two other Belfast-based projects went ahead, the redevelopment of Casement was delayed for several years because of legal challenges by local residents. The estimated build cost spiralled in the interim. Last September the UK Government ended hopes that the west Belfast venue would host Euro 2028 games, when it said it would not bridge a funding gap to deliver the redevelopment in time. As well as the Stormont contribution of £62.5 million, the Irish government has offered roughly £42 million and the GAA has pledged to contribute at least £15 million. It has been reported that the cost of the project has fallen to £270 million since it was confirmed the ground would not host Euros matches. Under current plans and including the £50 million from Wednesday's announcement, the funding shortfall stands at roughly £100 million. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said it was now up to the Stormont Executive to do work on updating plans and costings for the Casement project. He said: 'We will look at those proposals to support them as best we can.' The DUP's Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has previously said that any additional money for sporting infrastructure in Northern Ireland had to be delivered on a fair and equitable basis. Ms Little-Pengelly said: 'It'll be over to the GAA in terms of the way forward on that, but from our point of view, it's very much about trying to ensure in an inclusive way that there is fairness right across the needs of all of our sports.' Asked if the £50 million could be spent on other Executive sporting projects, Mr Benn said: 'It is the bottom line. 'This is £50 million for Casement Park, it is ringfenced for that purpose.' He added: 'This is an Executive commitment, it dates from 2011. 'Three stadia – Windsor Park, Ravenhill, Casement Park, three great sporting codes. 'Two of them have been done and Casement Park has not been done. 'We all want to see it completed. 'It is worth looking at how much the UK Government has given directly to football, rugby, sport, leisure and other things over the past four-and-a-bit years, it amounts to £47 million, and a very small bit of that, £1.1 million, went to two projects supported by the GAA. 'We're balancing out what has been the contribution to football, rugby, other sports and leisure over the last four years because I think everyone wants to see the Casement Park project completed.' GAA president Jarlath Burns said it was an 'important and significant' investment from the UK Government. He added: 'We know, however, that this is not the final piece of jigsaw and there is much more work to do. 'The GAA will engage directly with the NI Executive and the Department for Communities to ensure that all parties actively pursue, and secure, a full funding package that will deliver upon the GAA's strategic stadium need.' Ms Reeves' announcement was also welcomed by the Irish government. Deputy premier and foreign affairs minister Simon Harris said Dublin had long supported the redevelopment of Casement Park as a 'landmark sports infrastructure project'. Mr Harris said: 'In February 2024, we made an early commitment from the Shared Island initiative of up to 50 million euro (£42 million) for the redevelopment of Casement. 'We underlined our commitment at that time to support the GAA in progressing this project in partnership with the UK and NI authorities. 'I will now engage with all these partners to deliver a redeveloped stadium. 'The last match hosted in Casement was well over a decade ago and it is past time for the redevelopment of this historic venue to get under way.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store