JUST four days to go to White Rose Day, and across Scotland, individuals and Yes groups are making plans to mark the day that would have been Scotland’s first 24 hours out of the European Union.
The day has the backing of the Scottish Independence Convention which says on its Facebook page: “We encourage everyone to join the White Rose Day on March 30.”
As they note on their page, the day is the idea of Dumfries and Galloway Pensioners for Independence, so it is only fair to kick off this round-up of events with their message:
“This weekend pensioners in Dumfries and Galloway will be joining others throughout Scotland to mark what they see as the death of democracy in Scotland. In the 2016 referendum every part of Scotland voted to remain part of the European Union with two thirds of the population voting to remain. Despite this Scotland is being dragged out of the EU against the wishes of her people.
“People will be wearing a white flower to mark the occasion and on Saturday, March 30, small groups of people will be commemorating the occasion by leaving a white flower at a local landmark. Planned commemorations include Dumfries, Gretna, Langholm, Castle Douglas, Portpatrick and Lochmaben among others.”
Their spokesman Ian Richmond told The National: “On a practical level on Saturday I hope that as many people as possible will go by themselves or in small groups peacefully and quietly to lay a white flower together with a simple message. I want them to take a photograph and send it to The National. I hope that people will wear a posy or a buttonhole to reach out to people.
“In the referendum of June 23, 2016, every part of Scotland voted to remain part of the EU, with 62% in favour. Despite this, the people of Scotland are being dragged out of the EU against their wishes. On March 30 we are borrowing the symbolism of the Jacobites when they plucked the white rose of Scotland to wear on their bonnets.
“This flower symbolises the demise of Scottish democracy and our determination to restore it.”
White Rose Day is going to be marked in Musselburgh in what will surely be a poignant ceremony organised by local group Yes Musselburgh.
They wrote to tell us: “Yes Musselburgh is holding an event to mark Scotland’s imminent exit from the EU family of nations. We will walk from the Musselburgh Tolbooth to the banks of the River Esk nearby and assemble beneath the two trees planted by the local French and Italian twinning associations to commemorate Scotland’s entry into the single market in 1993. After the walk there will be a short ceremony. All welcome. Assembly at Musselburgh Tolbooth at 12 noon, Saturday, March 30.”
Across the country the Inverclyde for Independence group will be handing out white rose badges to activists and supporters of independence
They told us: “Saturday is not
only Stand Up For Scotland day
but also White Rose Day, which
has been inspired by the Jacobite white rose and is to commemorate the death of democracy in Scotland, as that date would have been Scotland’s first day out of the European Union, and would have been the death knell for our democratic wishes ever to be heard in this UK Union again, as Westminster has shown time and time again they don’t listen or care about our democratic will.
“On Saturday we will be giving out badges with this little rose on them, please come along and pick up yours and wear it and let people know why you are wearing it.”
In the capital, the Scotland Office may find itself wearing a carpet of white roses on Saturday. The details are sketchy, but it sounds as if a fun event is being planned –we’ll tell you more when we hear it.
Also in Edinburgh, Yes Marchmont and Morningside will be holding a stall at Middle Meadow Walk in the Meadows from 11am till 1pm on Saturday and will be handing out white rose badges
and a flyer to explain what’s
going on.
As we all know, the actual date of departure has been put back to April 12, or maybe even May 22. So Paddy Farrington of Yes Marchmont and Morningside explained that the group will “be doing it again on
April 13”.
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