Edinburgh Quakers have put a banner on their building in the capital's Victoria Terrace in preparation for an anti nuclear weapons march and demonstration. This event organised by Scotland's for Peace for this Saturday aims to ensure that the Trident nuclear weapons system is on the general election agenda. The march will be led by First minister Alex Salmond and passes the Meeting House en route for the Grassmarket.
The banner's message is at the heart of an ecumenical movement that sees the UK Government's proposal to upgrade the Trident nuclear weapons system based in Scotland as morally indefensible.
This morning, Cardinal O'Brien met Ian Galloway from the Church of Scotland at the Quaker Meeting House to admire the banner. Although the Cardinal will not be able to make the demonstration on Saturday, he encourages people of all faiths to attend, and says
“The use of nuclear weapons is wrong in all cases, and it therefore followed that retaining them, with the threat to use them if necessary, is also unacceptable. Possessing such weapons undermines Britain's moral authority. ”
Ian Galloway; Convener of the Church and Society Council of the Church of Scotland added
“On the 13th of March I will be in Edinburgh marching and speaking against nuclear weapons. I do this out of a firmly held personal convictions that nuclear weapons are wrong as they kill indiscriminately but also because the Church of Scotland as long spoken out against such weapons.”
Recently, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Bill Hewitt, joined the Scottish Clergy against Nuclear Armaments pressure group in launching their new campaign to put Trident and nuclear weapons at the heart of the general election campaign.
After Alex Salmond speaks in the Grassmarket at Saturday's rally, the other speakers are Ian Galloway, Mark Lazarowicz MP (Labour), John Barrett MP (Lib Dem), Alis Ballance, candidate, (Greens), Kate Hudson (CND Chair) Trade Union representative Mike Kirby, and broadcaster Lesley Riddoch.
The event will be chaired by actor David Hayman, with music from the Commotion Drummers and community choir Protest in Harmony. Assembly is outside the Parliament at 11.00am on Saturday. Local information at http://www.peaceandjustice.org.uk/and about action to be taken at Scotland's for Peace at www.scotland4peace.org
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