IT is a demonstration with a difference aiming to create a line of people stretching miles from east to west to show their support for independence.
Preparations are well underway for the Chain of Freedom event, which will take place on Saturday October 14 - but the recruiting the 77,000 supporters required to span 66 miles across the country is no mean feat.
Judith Reid, from Inverness, who is one of the organisers, said it was being arranged by a small administration team who were “extremely passionate” about the project.
“It is such a huge organisational event, it is momentous in size and strategy and we have to pull all that together,” she said.
“From 6am in the morning to 12 o’clock at night we are doing something every day and have been since it launched.
“We probably get 0.01% saying it will never happen – but the rest are just so enthusiastic. The feedback we are getting from people on the social media sites has been great.
“We are doing something different, we are doing something historic and we are doing something for everyone in Scotland.”
The inspiration for the project came from a peaceful demonstration in the Baltics in 1989, which saw around two million people join hands to span 430miles across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to draw global attention to independence and protest Soviet rule.
While the Scottish ‘chain’ will be on a smaller scale, the aim is to create a visual spectacle on canal paths from Lochrin Basin in Edinburgh to Bowling Harbour.
Participants are encouraged invited to bring Saltires and invited to write the names of independence supporters who have passed away on the flags as a tribute.
Around 9500 people have signed up to the group’s Facebook page, with around 130 Yes groups and hubs participating, while a website has been launched so people can put their names down to be allocated a space on a “link” in the chain, which will need 1075 people.
It has also received support from Scots actor Alan Cumming and writer and broadcaster Lesley Riddoch, with pro-independence politicians invited to attend.
However the organisers say the focus will be on bringing the movement together and not politics.
Wilma Bowie, also from Inverness and helping to lead the admin team, said: “The feedback we are getting through social media is there are a lot of people who have become disillusioned and a bit disheartened by groups fighting against group and some of the comments and internal squabbles happening at the moment.
“We have a zero tolerance on that on any of Chain of Freedom Facebook page - if we see anything like that it is deleted immediately and people are removed.
“We will not tolerate any internal fighting, any miscalling of one party or anything – independence is the main goal and that is what everyone is focusing on and that is what we are promoting with this chain.”
Bowie said there was also people from around the world planning to attend, including Sweden, Australia, Ireland and the USA, but urged people to sign up to the event through dedicated website chainoffreedom.scot so they can join one of the “links”.
“We can envisage in our heads how monumental this can be and what a spectacle it could be,” she said.
“It is not just for people in Scotland, it is for people in the whole world to see the independence movement working together.”
Reid added: “Independence is bigger than a politician or a party and that is what we are trying to get across.
“If everyone comes with that frame of mind, then all the nonsense that has gone on beforehand and is undercurrent at the moment, will go by the wayside.
“It is not about politicians, it is not about a party, it is about the people.
“We are the people - we are sovereign we have the right to do this.
“It’s a message to Westminster and it’s a message to Holyrood as well – we do still want independence and the passion is still there.”
