Annual Glasgow commemoration

News from the annual Glasgow commemoration held on Saturday 21 September at La Pasionaria Statue, Custom House Quay …

Neil Anderson presided at the commemoration on behalf of hosts Hope not Hate Glasgow.

A large gathering heard speeches by Mike Arnott, IBMT Scotland Secretary, Africa Moreno, PCE Exterior, Nathan Hennerbry, MB Scotland Youth Committee, Jennifer McCarey, Glasgow TUC and Tommy Campbell, Aberdeen XV International Brigade Commemoration Committee.

La Pasionaria Statue, Custom House Quay, Glasgow.

Neil Hennerbry spoke about how the legacy of the brigaders featured in Hope not Hate’s anti-racist and anti-fascist work in the city. Mike Arnott shared recent research discoveries about the 1938 funeral in Vic, Catalunya, of young Glasgow nurse Chrissie Wallace and the newly rediscovered Soldiers Tree memorial at Carbeth. He also marked the death in August of Glaswegian Allan Craig, whose work to commemorate his father, Dundee-born brigader Allan Craig, had initiated the annual ceremony at Tarancón in Spain.

Africa Moreno of PCE Exterior.

Africa Moreno paid tribute to the memory of the Glasgow brigaders and their fight against fascism, and for democracy, in Spain. Nathan drew parallels between the fight in Spain and the current struggles against fascism and the far right across Europe, including in Scotland. Jennifer recounted the history of the Glasgow memorial, how La Pasionaria’s symbolism echoed the role of all Spain’s women, and the female volunteers, during the Civil War, and how its unveiling drew a small and very rare Glasgow phenomenon: a Tory street protest.

Tommy Campbell gave the background to the replica of Aberdeen’s famous Spanish Republican flag and performed a couple of poems, including Brian Bilston’s memorable ‘Why I dislike the Daily Mail’.

At the close of proceedings, RMT hosted a visit just along the riverside to see the Blockade Runners’ Memorial.

Attendees from Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen.