Larkhall Police unhappy over Orange Walk arrests

Jul 10 2008 by John Rowbotham, Hamilton Advertiser

A TOP cop has expressed his disappointment at the behaviour of some spectators who attended Saturday’s Orange Walk through Larkhall.

Police made 24 arrests and more than 100 people were issued with Fixed Penalty Notices.

Several thousand spectators lined the 3.2-mile route to watch the 12,000 marchers including 70 bands.

Before the event, Superintendent Ian Callander warned that laws against street drinking and bigoted behaviour would be rigorously enforced.

Yesterday (Wednesday), Mr Callander said there had been no serious incidents at the parade but added:

“I am disappointed by the number of arrests and the general level of antisocial behaviour.

“People were warned in advance that we would robustly enforce the law and make full use of our powers in terms of FPN.

“Despite this, there were more than 109 people issued with FPN.”

A total of 83 received the £40 on-the-spot fines for street drinking, with eight issued for breach of the peace and all but one of the remainder for urinating in a public place.

Of the 24 arrests, 18 were for breach of the peace, three for drunk and incapable, one for breach of bail conditions, one for streets drinking and one arrested on warrant.

One of those apprehended was charged with breach of the peace aggravated by sectarian behaviour.

Some of those found to be street drinking had their bevvy in soft drinks containers.

But they were caught out by officers using testing kits that detected alcohol.

Mr Callander added: “We will be having a debrief with the Orange Order and reviewing the planning and preparation work that was carried out and how those plans were implemented on the day.”

The parade, to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Boyne, was organised by the County Grand Lodge of Central Scotland.

More than 300 police were deployed along the route which began and ended at the Coronation Park, Donaldson Street.

Although it took two-and-a-half hours for the march to pass through Larkhall, only Donaldson Street and Keir Hardie Road were closed to traffic.

Mr Callander said: “There were people who, on the day, said roads in Larkhall should be closed.

“A traffic management plan, aimed at minimising disruption to the community, was in place and all the indications are that it worked well.”

Police made 14 arrests at the County Grand Lodge of Central Scotland Battle of the Boyne Parade through Hamilton last year.

Ian Wilson, Grand Master of the Orange Order, said the marchers had behaved well.

He admitted he was, however, “frustrated and annoyed” that the post-march focus had been on the number of arrests.

He added: “How people behave in public, as far as street drinking is concerned, is not a consequence of the march.

“It happens to be one of the consequences of how people behave in Scottish society.”

Mr Wilson was “suprised” at the number of officers used to police the march through Larkhall.

He added: “The police presence appeared to us and many others to be overbearing.

“However, that is a matter we will address with the police when we hold with them a post mortem on the march in Larkhall.”

Larkhall SNP councillor Lesley McDonald was delighted that there were no serious incidents.

The councillor also felt that police did everything in their power to ensure that things ran smoothly.”

Larkhall Labour councillor Andy Carmichael, a member of the Strathclyde Joint Police Board, said:

“The arrests were for fairly minor things and the police had warned there would be zero tolerance of street drinking.”

Officers policing an Orange Walk through Hillhouse on Friday night made one arrest. The start of the parade organised by Saunderson’s Chosen Few LOL 241, had been changed following complaints that it clashed with a church service.

The march lasted 50 minutes and 30 police were on duty.