Campaigners demand safer streets in Scotland's largest multi-cultural community

Save Govanhill campaigners, who have been refused permission to march on a Glasgow police station, will hold their rally in a local park on Saturday (1 August).

Protesters wanted to march on Aitkenhead Road Police Station in protests at rising levels of crime in their area.

But organisers were told they had failed to give the council 28 days notice and were warned by police not to lead a walk through the streets tomorrow (1 August).

The group will now hold a demonstration in Govanhill Park at 1pm.

A spokesman for the council said: “Unfortunately organisers failed to give the council 28 days notice of their intention to march, which is a minimum requirement of the relevant legislation.

Organisers failed to give the council 28 days notice of their intention to march

“It was found that were no exceptional circumstances in this case which would allow us to waive the minimum period of notice.

“We are happy to discuss with organisers an alternative date which meets the requirements of the legislation.

“A minimum of 28 days notice is a required to ensure a march on a road can take place in a safe manner.”

Fiona Jordan, secretary of Let’s Save Govanhill, said the decision is “disappointing” and vowed to organise a march on September 5.

She added: “A rally will now be held in Govanhill Park, Govanhill St, at 1pm on Saturday August 1.”

The pressure group believes the council and police are not doing enough to clean the area up and rid it of crime.

They held a public meeting attended by more than 150 locals on June 23 and organised a march to local MSP and first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s constituency office earlier in the year.

An online petition launched last week demanding action to make the area’s streets safer has been supported by around 1,200 people.