MORE than 200 police officers would be needed if a march is allowed to go past St Alphonsus Church in Calton next week, police have said.

It is double what was deployed on May 18 for a march and counter protest outside the church earlier this month.

The parade by the County Grand Orange Lodge of Glasgow on June 8 will involve almost 1000 marchers plus one band. It is also expected to attract many followers and be met with a protest if it is allowed past the church where a priest was spat on last year.

Councillors are being asked to approve re-routing the march away from the church.

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It is the latest of a number of parades to be recommended to be re-routed from the church since the incident last July.

Police said that there has been a “troubling change in the terms of the tone and commentary and rhetoric about Orange Order and Apprentice Boys of Derry processions going past St Alphonsus and or St Mary’s churches in the Calton”.

While noting differing views were nothing new “positions were becoming more polarised.”

Police noted during the protest this month, as a parade passed the church, there were shouts of “Fenian b******” and “Paedos” from supporters of the parade to the protesters.

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There were 100 police on duty to cover the parade and protest.

Police also noted social media posts from some opposed to the parade regarding the “use of pipe bombs and burning vehicles” close to the proposed route, while not suggesting it was a serious threat Police Scotland said: “It does go some way to evidencing the hardening attitudes of some”.

Superintendent John McBride, Specialist Operations, Police Scotland, said: "The policing presence required for the parades would draw on specialist resources from across Scotland for what would be a relatively short deployment outside the church, when in fact a short deviation from the route as notified would mitigate such a need.

“For the corresponding parade last year the policing operation was a conventional one, with no specialist resources and required 35 police officers.

“For the parade this year, if parading on the route as notified the policing operation will require in excess of 200 officers, many in specialist roles and drawn from across Scotland."

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He said: "I would fully expect that a repeat of the events of 18 May is likely or indeed worse givent the emotion being directed towards the parades by both sides."

The latest Public Processions Committee to re-route a parade comes as the Orange Order and two other organisations are going to court seeking to overturn the re-routing of two parades this Saturday and two this Sunday.

A spokesman for the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland said: “We believe that Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland have acted out with the law in their crusade against the Protestant faith in Glasgow and we intend to challenge their actions through the courts.”

A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Glasgow said they did not want such parades banned completely.

He said: “We would only ask that solutions are found which respect the right of worshipers and the local residents to go about their business free from fear and anxiety.

“It is especially important that consideration is given to the timings of religious services when planning such marches.”