Loyalists have expressed growing support for a protest in Glasgow at the weekend after a council decision to ban their marches through the city.

A gathering is scheduled for Saturday morning in George Square after senior members of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland claimed Glasgow City Council’s decision to prohibit six parades on Saturday and Sunday is illegal.

However there is one march that will be going ahead is in Rutherglen, just three miles away from one of the prohibited processions, because it has been sanctioned by the neighbouring local authority, South Lanarkshire Council.

The council said there had been no objections.

Around 100 are expected to take part in the parade organised by the Rutherglen Orange and Purple District 20 group to commemorate the 98th anniverary of the town's Orange hall.

The parade accompanied by the town's only remaining flute band, Rutherglen Bluebell, will start at around 4.15pm from Cathcart Place.

Glasgow Times: Six marches have been banned in Glasgow this weekendSix marches have been banned in Glasgow this weekend

READ MORE: Irish Republican group ‘demand answers’ after Glasgow march ban

It is just three miles away from where the Bridgeton Protestant Boys would have gathered in Broad Street for its procession, which has been hit by the council decision.

That procession will start six hours after the the beginning of the George Square protest organised by the new Scottish Protestants Against Discrimination group that says the city ban was a violation of human rights.

"Questions must now be asked of Glasgow City Council as to why they flew in the face of Police Scotland by granting permission for public processions, which glorified foreign terrorism, yet they are prohibiting standard loyal order parades," the group has said.

The Edinburgh Ulster Political Research Group, a political lobbyist for the unionist community said it was an "extremely ill-judged move" while the Scottish Amalgamated Committee of the Apprentice Boys of Derry said the decision was an attack on democracy.

The council's Public Processions Committee made the decision to prohibit the marches planned for Saturday and Sunday following serious sectarian disorder at similar events over the past two weekends.

Glasgow Times: The Orange Order are joining Loyalists at George Square tomorrowThe Orange Order are joining Loyalists at George Square tomorrow

READ MORE: Council officers told to 'consider every option available' in dealing with Glasgow marches

The police had warned there was a strong likelihood of disorder and a large number of officers would be required.

Four Loyalist marches and an Irish Republican parade planned for this weekend were banned by the council after a meeting on Wednesday.

Supt John McBride said there had been calls on social media from Republicans to target Loyalist events and demands from Loyalists to protest against Republican parades.

The Edinburgh UPRG said:"We commend the actions thus far of those who have decided to join together and protest, at this stage we are aware that the Grand Master of the Grand Orange lodge of Scotland has requested that all members of the above organisation attend the protest being held by Scottish Protestants Against Discrimination outside Glasgow City Chambers...," it said.

"There now exists an opportunity for all loyalists in Scotland to come together for a common purpose, although it is for something that most of us for a long time have taken for granted we cannot and must not let this opportunity slip.

"Let us be clear that we as an organisation acknowledge that parades are certainly not the be all and end all of loyalism, it is merely a tiny part of it. However let there be no confusion that this infringement of basic and lawful human rights is an attack on an historic part of our culture, and that the banning of these parades is also an attack on the shared faith of the majority of those that uphold the banner of loyalism.

"We would further iterate that all protests by loyalists should be relevant and peaceful and urge those who are in charge of Saturdays gathering to show leadership to all who gather in their common cause, remembering that the media will no doubt be waiting and watching and our critics poised to condemn."

Thomas Porteous, chairman of the Scottish Amalgamated Committee of the Apprentice Boys of Derry said in a circular that "nationalist councillors in Scotland aided by Police Scotland" had "attacked democracy" and "abused the law, as we see it, and enforced prohibition orders on a number of loyalist parades due to take place this weekend".

"Whilst the recent move by Glasgow City Council was not to ban any ABOD parades this weekend, we cannot be complacent and must stand united with other loyal orders, protestant groups and the protestant unionist loyalist (PUL) community more than ever.

"The ABOD calls upon all members to resist any attempts to suppress our community, curtail our culture or even stop us from having a voice."

The group said it supported the protest gathering which it said would be "be a peaceful assembly under the Human Rights Act".

It concluded: "Let it be known that we will not be bullied off our city streets."

The Glasgow Flute Band Association which issued its support for the protest said it was "disgusted" by the council decision.

A spokesman for South Lanarkshire Council said: “Rutherglen Orange and Purple District 20 have been given permission to parade in Rutherglen on Saturday, 14 September, 2019.

"No objections or representations were received in connection with the parade notification and the notice was dealt with under delegated powers."

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “The right to march has to be balanced against the right of people and communities across Glasgow to be safe.

“That is our priority. It is also a priority for the vast majority of Glaswegians, who are rightly appalled by recent events and those intent on stoking division and disruption.”