Scots take to the streets after UK Supreme Court decision blocking independence vote

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) – More than a dozen snap rallies are planned by the Scottish independence supporters on Wednesday in Scotland and Europe, following the UK’s Supreme Court ruling legally blocking a second referendum on the matter.

The rallies have been announced at the timeforscotland.scot web site hours after the court decision.

The rallies will be held in Scottish locations of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Perth, Dundee, Greenock, Inverness, Inverurie, Portree on the Isle of Skye, Kirkwall on Orkney, Lochgilphead in Argyll, Selkirk in the Borders, Dumfries, Fort William, and Stirling, according to a statement.

Angered with the court ruling, the independence campaigners Europe for Scotland will also hold rallies in six European locations – Berlin, Brussels, Rome, Paris, Munich, and Dublin.

Time for Scotland co-organiser, journalist Lesley Riddoch, said: “We have no argument with the judges. Thanks to them, the world now sees Scotland’s predicament.”

She said: “We are trapped in a union with no lawful escape. And the solution – as the judges have made clear – is not a legal but political. It’s crazy that a devolved parliament should need a court’s permission to consult its people after so many elections and mandates won by independence-supporting parties.

“So we call on the Scottish Government to convene the Constitutional Convention it backed last year and tonight we hope people round the world will see Scots are visible, active and vocal in support of another referendum to decide on our future. We will not give up and we are not going away.”

The ruling from the UK’s Supreme Court said the Scottish government could not go ahead for a new independence referendum without the approval of the central UK government.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she will respect the court decision but address the next general election as a “de facto” referendum on independence.