A special police unit set up to deal with civil disorder in a No-Deal Brexit have been deployed to help maintain four loyalist parades in Glasgow.

The team, which is 300-strong, was first established in February before the first Brexit deadline on 29 March. 

It was disbanded after the Article 50 extension but was reassembled in August as the risk of a no-deal Brexit rose again. 

In an exclusive talk with our sister paper, The National, vice-chair of the Scottish Police Federation, David Hamilton, confirmed that members of the specialist police unit will be monitoring the four Loyalist marches in Glasgow. 

He said: “Elements of the Force Reserve will definitely be there tomorrow as part of the public order policing model.

READ MORE: Hundreds strong Loyalist march sets off through Govan

Hamilton added that members of the unit were already deployed after violence broke out at Govan parades in August. 

“For Brexit the Force Reserve has been stood up to react to any issues. It is just as well as we saw in Govan the police managed to mobilise the right officers with the right equipment very quickly and deal with that.”

Four parades are taking place today after a city-wide ban last weekend. 

Around 800 people are expected to take part in a procession coordinated by Pride of Govan flute band, starting on Craigton Road on Saturday morning. 

The Independent Loyal Orange Order, with 50 followers, are due to walk through George Square after leaving Blythswood Square and pass thousands of Scottish Independence supporters at a Hope Over Fear rally. 

Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins said: “Our view is that if the processions were banned, some form of protest and disorder could still take place and the policing profile for Saturday would therefore be similar.

READ MORE: Govan loyalist march to be met with 'hundreds' of Republican protesters today

"If the processions go ahead it would allow us to continue to engage with known organisers to ensure balanced rights were upheld and to police the events under the conditions agreed by the council.”