A firebug attack on the car of an Irish Republican group leader is being probed by police as tensions rise ahead of a this weekend.
A Mercedes owned by Tommy Stevenson – previously named as chairman of Irish Republican group Cairde Na Heireann (Friends of Ireland) – was torched in the street outside an address in Glasgow’s east end.
The incident, which happened at 10.30pm on Monday night, came just days after another Republican march sparked a violent counter protest from Loyalist thugs on Friday night.
A source said yesterday: “It appears that this attack has been carried out to intimidate Mr Stevenson in hope to cancel the planned Irish parade this Saturday.
“I am aware that Mr Stevenson will not be threatened and the parade will go ahead as planned.”
Police and fire crews confirmed they were sent to an address in Edinburgh Road, near Riddrie, to deal with Monday’s blaze and the force appealed for witnesses to come forward.
A spokesman said: “At about 10.30pm on Monday, police responded to a report of a car set on fire. Inquiries are ongoing and no one has been arrested.”
Cairde Na Heireann – who call themselves Scotland’s Irish Republican Voice – have planned an “International Brigade Commemoration” on Saturday.
The parade, starting at the citys Millroad Street and culminating in a ceremony at a statue on the
Clydeside, is expected to be heavily policed after supporters of Irish Republicanism clashed with Loyalist protesters in Govan last Friday.
Riot police, mounted officers, a helicopter and dog units were used to quell the disorder over the so-called Irish unity march, which led to two arrests.
Police branded the scenes “utterly unacceptable” while Dave Scott, of anti-sectarian charity Nil By Mouth, condemned the “conflict and chaos”.
Pictures from the James Connolly parade show marchers holding a banner supporting hardline militant group Saoradh, which is linked to the New IRA.
Dissident Republicans in the New IRA admitted the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, who was shot in Londonderry in April.
Glasgow City Council confirmed Saturday’s march, and another by The Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association, would go ahead after lengthy talks with police.
Annemarie O’Donnell, the council’s chief executive, said: “The scenes we saw in Govan on Friday were a disgrace and they must not be repeated. However, the options open to Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland are limited, both by the law – people’s right to march and protest – and by circumstance.
“At this time, I am satisfied that severely restricting or prohibiting Saturday’s processions would not reduce the likelihood of further trouble and might place additional burdens on police.”
The Sean McIlvenna Republican Flute band, which is being probed under the Terrorism Act over an IRA-supporting Facebook post, could be among those joining Saturday’s Cairde Na Heireann march.
The band is named after a member of the IRA who was killed in 1984 by the Royal Ulster Constabulary after taking part in an operation targeting soldiers in the Ulster Defence Regiment.
Meanwhile, a rallying cry has been put out on social media for Loyalists to form a counter demonstration during the march.
Scottish Loyalists 2019 tweeted a flyer which reads: “No IRA on our streets.”
Cairde Na Heireann and Stevenson did not respond to our requests for comment.
