A SCOTTISH campaign group set up to protest anti-Catholic and anti-Irish bigotry says it will continue to advocate for the Irish community.
Call It Out was founded in 2018 by Jeanette Findlay following the assault of a Catholic priest outside St Alphonsus Church in Glasgow during an Orange Order parade.
Findlay said the assault became the catalyst for creating what she believes is Scotland's first dedicated anti-discrimination advocacy group for the Irish community.
"We're still very much a minority and very much treated differently," she said.
Findlay said the turning point came after Canon Tom White was assaulted one Saturday evening after Vigil Mass.
"He was talking to parishioners, and he was attacked, he was spat on, he was roundly assaulted."
"I thought, 'No, this is enough. We have had enough. We have to do something.'"
She said she contacted people involved in Irish organisations and Catholic groups, leading to the establishment of Call It Out.
"I was the founding member, and I've continued to chair it," she said. "There's a small group, maybe about seven or eight of us, and we organise things."
Protesters outside St Alphonsus Church in Glasgow (Photo by Call it Out)The first demonstration outside St Alphonsus was organised as an all-women protest against the Orange Order parades passing Catholic churches.
"We had a sign that said, 'No anti-Catholic marches past Catholic churches'," Findlay said.
"We would say nothing, do nothing and just stand there in front of the church and hold up the banner."
She said the group has continued to organise silent protests ever since.
Findlay said a later attempt to march past St Alphonsus Church was prevented after Glasgow City Council rerouted the procession following concerns raised by Police Scotland about the potential for disorder.
Chief Superintendent Emma Croft said: "Public safety is a priority for Police Scotland, and we also respect the right to assembly.
“Police Scotland is committed to working in partnership with local authorities and will, where appropriate, make representation on notifications where there are concerns regarding public safety and there is a significant risk of disorder, damage to property or disruption to the life of the community.
"In advance of any procession an appropriate policing and multi-agency plan will be put in place to ensure the safety of those processing and where appropriate any associated planned or suspected events such as protest and counter protest.
"Police Scotland continues to engage with key stakeholders and any organisation in the planning of such events."
The protests are silent, and people are advised not to respond to hecklers (Photo by Call It Out)Findlay said the organisers challenged the council's decision in court but were unsuccessful.
"Thereafter they have not passed that particular church since," she said.
"We've never argued that they should be banned or shouldn't be able to march; we've just said they can't go past Catholic churches."
Findlay argued that such parades are intended to intimidate members of Scotland's Catholic and Irish communities.
"I don't know if you're aware, but there are more Orange parades in Glasgow than there are in Belfast and Derry combined," she said.
"We suffer these probably every month of the year."
"It doesn't matter where the march is; they will make sure they march past a Catholic church."
She also claimed incidents targeting Catholic churches remain common.
Findlay believes the issues facing Scotland's Irish community have often gone unrecognised despite generations of settlement.
"It's been about 180 years since we came here in big numbers," she said.
"This is about them saying, 'These are our streets and you don't really belong here.'"
Call It Out says it will continue campaigning against anti-Irish and anti-Catholic discrimination while engaging with politicians, trade unions and other groups to make Scotland a more equal place for everyone.
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