March honours IRA hunger strikers

Many carried pictures of the 10 hunger strikers who died

Around 2,000 people have taken part in a march through Glasgow city centre to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of 10 Irish republican hunger strikers.

At various points on the route scores of counter-demonstrators were held back by police as they heckled the marchers.

March organiser Jim Slaven has rejected charges that the demonstration was sectarian or provocative.

He described it as a dignified commemoration and said it was one of a series of marches planned across the UK and Ireland.

Jim Slavin: "Dignified commemoration"

The march was approved by Glasgow City Council on Thursday after no objections were received by Strathclyde police.

But some politicians believe the event should have been stopped, amid fears of sectarian violence.

There was a heavy police presence as the marchers set off from Glasgow's city centre.

They carried black flags and pictures of the 10 hunger strikers who died in the Maze prison H Block protest two decades ago.

Counter demonstrations

Republican flute bands some wearing black armbands and combat-style clothing took part in the march.

Many of the marchers chanted IRA slogans when they were heckled along the two-mile route by scores of loyalist counter demonstrators.

Police kept the two groups apart.

Three people were arrested after one of the marchers was hit by a bottle.

Strathclyde Police said that only 14 people were arrested for minor offences.

A spokeswoman said: "We didn't have any major problems and the majority of people were well-behaved."

March organiser Jim Slaven denied the march had been sectarian or provocative.

He described it as a dignified commemoration.

Bobby Sands: First hunger striker to die

The event was organised by the west of Scotland 1981 Hunger Strike Committee.

The march, which ended in a rally in Queen's Park, commemorated the Maze Prison hunger strikes of 1981 when a number of IRA inmates starved to death, including Bobby Sands.

Sands was the first of 10 men to die on the hunger strike as republican prisoners fought for political status.

He died on 5 May 1981, after 66 days on hunger strike.

The hunger strike was the fourth attempt by republican prisoners to force the British Government to abandon the criminalisation policy which had been introduced in 1976.

Glasgow Conservative MSP Bill Aitken said: "I think this march is of a sectarian nature and many people will find that offensive.

"I also think that the people of Glasgow are getting fed up with marches generally."

Bill Aitken: Finds march offensive

He questioned the cost to the taxpayer of the extra police presence which was required.

A council spokesman said the council only had the right to consider the request to hold the rally in Queen's Park.

He said anyone has the right to hold a march as long as the police do not consider there is any threat to public order.

He said the council could only stop a march if there were police objections.