Olta Totoni: Scottish Independence march in Glasgow
Olta Totoni
British Studies Researcher
This is the Scottish resistance. We will never give up the fight for the Scottish Independence. Never!
Hundreds and thousands Scottish people walked peacefully through Glasgow on 4th May 2019. Scottish and EU flags, bagpipes, drums and dogs wearing Scottish symbols like in a carnival time invaded the streets. They were demanding their independence from the Union. The main purpose of this march was to initiate a second referendum. Other marches will follow to reach this goal. The support was shown even in the windows of the Scottish houses where flags were hung and posters demanding Independence were seen. Many people were keeping “All Under One Banner” in their hands and marching from west to east.
“Independence is normal” was one of the posters accompanying the march and it was very apparent. Is the demand for Independence the right one during this period of time? Brexit is still haunting indecisive Britain that is postponing the date of exit becoming Brexit without Exit. Chants and blowing of the whistles were heard during the march; attracting the attention and saying “Wake up!”
Going back to the time, Scotland demanded the Independence and asked for an Independence referendum in 2014. The results of the referendum showed that a great percentage of the population wanted to remain in the Union reinforcing the (in)visible bonds that exist within it.
Saor Alba!
Now, the desire for an independent Scotland is back again. Is it encouraged by the Scottish support of the European Union? The connection between Scotland and Germany is apparent as far as there are many trading relations between the countries. This means that Scotland is more willing to stay in the European Union rather than go out of it.
Rule, Brittania!
United Kingdom has always been the superpower of all the times. The two kingdoms are unified based on the two Acts of the Union: the Union with Scotland Act 1706 passed by the Parliament of England and the Union with England Act passed in 1707 by the Parliament of Scotland. They are separate states with separate legislation and they have the same monarch. They are “United into one Kingdom by the name of Great Britain”.
The United Kingdom consists of four countries; England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. If they can be compared to a bunch of sticks, kept together as one, they cannot be broken easily. If they are separate, the sticks can be easily broken. The perfect scenario would be to keep the Union strong and remain in the EU. It is quite known Britain’s reluctance of EU since the creation of it. New roads are coming to sight. Marching peacefully is a consolidated form of democracy. Scottish citizens are British citizens. They are European citizens as it is the rest of the UK.
All for one …and one for all!