Pro-EU march to be held in Edinburgh city centre

A previous pro-EU march through Edinburgh was held in July 2016, just days after the Brexit vote. Picture: Steven Scott Taylor/JP Resell

The event is one of several taking place across the continent to mark the signing of the document in 1957 which paved the way for the European Economic Community, the forerunner to the modern EU.

Organisers said they wanted to make a case for “a European future for Scotland and the people who call it home”.

Marchers will assemble at 1pm at Waterloo Place before making their way to the Scottish Parliament, where they will hear from a range of speakers including MSPs Ross Greer and Alex Cole-Hamilton, former Labour MP Mark Lazarowicz and SNP MPs Tommy Sheppard and Joanna Cherry.

The march will take place just days before the triggering of Article 50 on March 29 which commences the UK’s Brexit negotiations.

Scots voted by 62 per cent to 38 per cent to remain in the EU in last year’s referendum, while Edinburgh saw the largest remain vote of any major UK city.

Vanessa Glynn, chairman of the European Movement in Scotland, which is organising the march, said: “We aim to show that Scotland is a European nation, that we oppose Brexit. It is vital that we actively defend what has been achieved through our membership of the European Union. I would urge all those who share our vision to come along.

“As the Westminster government is driving us off a Brexit cliff, we will say it loud and clear - not in our name.

“We have not forgotten how far Britain has come since 1973. We have not forgotten the wars and extremism that ruined our continent before Europeans finally decided to unite their forces to create peace and prosperity instead.

“On March 26 the clocks go forward an hour, then they go back 60 years with the triggering of Article 50 on March 29.”