A PROTESTANT parade is to return to a city's streets - with the group denying it is a "hate march".
Up to 300 people, including about 100 local members of the Apprentice Boys of Derry, will take to the streets of Inverness on Saturday.
Last year’s march by the Northern Ireland-headquartered group's City of Inverness Campsie Club provoked social media anger, with a 6000-strong petition opposing Highland Council’s decision to sanction it.
But ahead of the weekend's repeat, founding member Roddy McDonald insisted: “We have been holding the march every year for almost 20 years now. Next year will mark our 20th anniversary.
“There’s never been any problem or trouble at any of our parades. We organise a peaceful march like plenty of other organisations do.
“We don’t hate anybody. It is other people who seem to imply that we hate other people.
“Irrespective of what their colour or creed is, we don’t set out to offend anyone. We just want the same rights as any other citizen of this country.
“We have the march in April because it is around about the time of year we first opened the Inverness branch of the Apprentice Boys Club.
“Of course we commemorate the siege of Londonderry and remember the thousands who died of starvation behind the city walls.
“If you know your history, it was the longest siege on any British city.
“The Apprentice Boys is an organisation with members all over the world, not just in Scotland where there are dozens of associations.
“We respect the rights of other organisations and people to have peaceful marches and we go through the proper channels with the council and the police.
“Some people might want to see trouble stirred up, but we are certainly not of that frame of mind.”
