Pool protesters want heads to roll

There were violent scenes as the pool was closed

About 200 demonstrators have marched on Glasgow Council's City Chambers in protest at the closure of a swimming pool.

They handed in a letter calling for the resignation of council leader Charlie Gordon and chief executive James Andrews.

Victorian-built Govanhill baths was closed this week after a five-month sit-in at the site was ended by police.

The protesters were removed by police and sheriff's officers.

Five police officers and one protester were injured when violence flared outside the baths on the south side of Glasgow on Tuesday night.

Fatima Uygun: Council out of touch with community

The campaigners arrived at the council buildings in the city centre on Thursday at about 1330 BST, many of them wearing red and yellow T-shirts saying "save our pool".

Others carried banners and played makeshift drums while singing "Charlie Gordon's got to go".

The demonstrators then staged a sit-down protest outside the City Chambers, forcing traffic to stop or find alternative routes.

Crash barriers and four uniformed police officers prevented the protesters from entering the City Chambers, but protest leader Fatima Uygun voiced their feelings.

Using a megaphone, she said: "We are ordinary citizens who care about our community and we have come here today to talk to the Glasgow City Council.

"For months and months these people have been ignoring our letters, emails and telephone calls.

'This is a victory'

"They're shutting down the only community-run facility in Govanhill and they are turning our community into a ghetto."

Ms Uygun later branded Mr Gordon a "coward" for refusing to come out of the City Chambers to meet the protesters.

She said: "Charlie Gordon wants us to vote for him and yet he won't come and talk to the people of Govanhill or the people of Glasgow.

"He's hiding because he knows that the people of Govanhill want to see him and tell him what they think.

The protesters' campaign continues

"This is a victory and we should be proud of ourselves. Day-by-day the people of Govanhill are getting stronger and we are going to win."

However, a spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: "Resignation calls are unjustified. There is no indication that anybody will be resigning over this issue."

He said an inquiry into the pool decision, which is being sought by campaigners, was "not necessary".

The spokesman told BBC News Online: "The decision to close the pool went through committee and it went to full council, where it was passed unanimously.

"It was passed through a democratic process following consultation, regardless of what the protesters might say.

"The council's decision was that the pool was not viable any more as a swimming pool.

"After the occupation the council's attemps to reclaim the pool were backed up by the courts and the police and sheriff's officers this week were acting on the authority of the sheriff court.

"We have not been presented with any evidence to justify any type of inquiry into this issue."

The demonstrators eventually dispersed from outside the City Chambers at about 1415 BST to march back to Govanhill.

The building housing the pool has now been boarded up.