EDINBURGH • Tens of thousands of Scottish independence supporters marched in Edinburgh over the weekend, amid growing calls for a fresh vote on Scotland leaving the United Kingdom, and Brexit scheduled to take place within weeks.
The marchers, many carrying Scottish flags, some wearing kilts and a few playing musical instruments - including bagpipes - set off from Holyrood Park in the heart of the Scottish capital last Saturday.
"What do we want? Independence," some chanted, as the throng of people made its way up the city's famous Royal Mile.
Mr Peter Johnston, 22, one of the organisers of the march, said: "Scotland is second class in this union. As an independent nation, it will be world-leading in many ways. In the United Kingdom, we don't reach our full potential."
Among those present was lawyer and Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) lawmaker Joanna Cherry, who was behind one of the successful legal challenges to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decision to suspend Parliament.
She was also one of the main backers of a law passed last month forcing Mr Johnson to ask the European Union for more time to avoid crashing out of the bloc without a deal.
"I'm sick of the Tory rule," said demonstrator Donna Barkley, 47, a bus driver. "I'm sick of being told what to do. We need independence today."
All Under One Banner, the group organising last Saturday's march, claimed more than 200,000 people turned up for its rally - far exceeding their predictions.
Police Scotland did not give an estimate of the crowd's size.
Scotland voted against independence in a 2014 referendum by 55 per cent.
But nationalists argue that the 2016 British referendum in favour of Brexit means another independence referendum is necessary, as Scotland had voted by 62 per cent to stay in the European Union.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the SNP, has argued that Brexit will devastate the economy.
Nationalists argued that some people voted against independence thinking it would guarantee their place inside the EU.
Ms Sturgeon, who wants a second independence referendum in 2021, was unable to attend the march, but tweeted a message of support.
"Be in no doubt - independence is coming," she said.
A small number of pro-Union protesters carrying Union Jack flags staged a counter-demonstration in central Edinburgh.
