Orange Order to march to stop Scottish independence from UK

The Orange Order is set to intervene in the Scottish independence debate after polls show the 'Yes to independence' group winning.

Extreme Orange Order leaders in Northern Ireland have announced that 2,000 of them will travel to Edinburgh on Saturday, Sept. 13 to take part in an Orange Order march to stop independence. The Scottish referendum will be held September 17.

They will be led by Rev Mervyn Gibson Assistant Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland who recently stated that he wished a mural of Gerry Adams in Belfast was a “memorial mural.”

"Scottish brethren stood beside us during the Troubles and we need to stand by them when their place in the union is under threat politically," he told the Scottish Daily Record this week.

Up to 10,000 in all are expected at the march led by the Orange Order of Scotland.

They are an official “No” campaign organization and have formed a group called “British Together.”

However, the official "No" group, “Better Together,” is shunning the group believing they will impact the many Irish Catholic Labour Party supporters who are soft “No” voters at present

There are fears the Orange march will turn violent given that there was trouble at an annual parade in July.

Rev Gibson denied that would be the case. “The Order will be doing everything to ensure there will be no incidents. I don't think we are bringing religion into it [the referendum]. The Orange Order stands for the United Kingdom of all religions."