Councillors have moved to block Scottish Orange Lodge marchers from laying a wreath at Forfar Cross during a procession.
Members of the civic licensing committee voted against the action at the town’s war memorial, during a march to be held by Wishart Arch Defenders Loyal Orange Lodge 444 on June 25.
Councillor Jim Millar said the Cross was a landmark used to honour all religious denominations and as such it would not be appropriate for a wreath to be laid.
“I have to recall a similar march in previous years where the Order had every right to process as they saw fit and at that time a similar application was made for a wreath to be placed,” he said. “I found that distasteful, but that is a matter of personal taste.”
Mr Millar added that the last time the group made an application to lay a wreath, the council wrote to them and it was agreed it would be placed elsewhere. He suggested another letter should go out on this occasion, with all other councillors in agreement.
The proposed route for the march begins in Marketmuir and will proceed along Market Street, North Street, East High Street, Castle Street and Myre Road to Myre Street car park.
In February last year the committee rejected an application for a wreath to be laid at the Cross during a public procession.
No public objections were received to the march, leading the council’s head of law and administration to determine that it should not be prohibited.
In April 2001, members of the Orange Order marched through Forfar for the first time, following a bitter dispute over permission with Angus Council. The march saw 40 members of the the Wishart Arch Defenders walk a designated route, just hours after a sheriff overturned a council ban on the parade.
At that time several councillors lodged letters of objection with the court, stating they believed such a parade would lead to trouble, division and religious intolerance in Forfar.
The European Convention of Human Rights, which was adopted into Scots Law in October 2000, states that everyone has a right to peaceful assembly.