SRSM John MacLean Rally 2011 Report

SRSM John MacLean Rally 2011 Report

The Annual John MacLean Commemoration was held in Glasgow on Sunday. Republican Socialists met at Eastwood Cemetery for a graveside oration delivered by Gerry Cairns SRSM.

Then a large march proceeded from Thornliebank Rd to MacLean's Cairn at Shawbridge Shopping Centre where Donald Anderson SRSM greeted the crowd and invited us all back to Shawbridge Tavern for speeches and the social.

Arriving at the Shawbridge Tavern we heard speeches from Gerry Cairns on behalf of the John MacLean Society, a speaker from the Revolutionary Communist Group, Brian Quail from Scottish CND, a speaker from the Celtic League, a solidarity message from a Flemish Socialist Republican and Alan Stewart from the Northern England branch of SRSM. Speakers spoke about the struggle of John MacLean for a Scottish Workers Republic and the consequences of British Imperialism which tried to criminalise political prisoners such as John MacLean and today's experience of Irish Republican prisoners in Maghaberry Gaol north of Ireland. The Celtic League speaker remembered the victims of British concentration camps in South Africa not so long ago just over a hundred years. He also called for independence for the Celtic nations. Brian Quail spoke about the the danger of voting for Devolution Max in the future Independence Referendum in which he outlined that it would change little and we would still have nuclear weapons in Scotland. Alan Stewart spoke of the very active branch of SRSM in England and the many campaigns and marches they are involved in. The next post on Scottish Republic weblog will include a copy of his speech at the John MacLean Rally. In all a very successful day with IRSP Alba and Éirígí representatives at the event including other left forces such as the Revolutionary Communist Group.

Solidarity messages to the Rally also came from IRSP Alba and the International Republican Socialist Network (IRSN) http://irsn.weebly.com who gave firm support for the memory of John MacLean and the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement (SRSM) who host the event every year. Solidarity messages were also received at the Rally from CPS & RSF.

Folk music was provided at the Shawbridge Tavern by the excellent White Rose duo.

Slainte

Larry