Edinburgh’s upcoming pro-independence rally, organised by Believe in Scotland, will now take place on Calton Hill after permission to host it at the Scottish Parliament was withdrawn.
Organisers reportedly applied to hold the event at the Scottish Parliament building in February 2025. Although the rally received a full licence from the City of Edinburgh Council, the Scottish Parliament has since withdrawn permission to use its grounds, citing concerns that the rally would take place too close to the Scottish elections in May 2026.
The Scottish Parliament website states that any protests on its grounds “must not interfere with or seek to disrupt the functioning of Parliament,” among other restrictions.
Organisers described the attitudes of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body as “inconsistent and frankly incoherent,” claiming they had made clear during initial planning their intention to hold the rally close to the election to raise the issue of independence on the political agenda.
Calton Hill has since been confirmed as the new location. Organisers branded the site “Scotland’s historic stage for national expression,” having previously been used for the 2013 Indyref march attended by over 8,000 people in the lead up to the 2014 independence referendum.
They added that the location has a greater standing capacity than Parliament, saying that the larger space would allow for greater attendance among pro-independence supporters.
When asked for their own position on the change, a spokesperson for Edinburgh University’s Yes Society said: “It’s a shame that the march has had to move away from Parliament, given the importance of the protest.”
However, they continued: “Calton Hill is a fantastic place to hold the march, tying in Edinburgh’s past with the fight for our future.”
It has also been confirmed that First Minister John Swinney MSP, will speak at the event – the first independence march he will have addressed since taking office in 2024. Other speakers include co-leaders of the Scottish Green Party, Gillian Mackay MSP and Ross Greer MSP.
The rally is set to take place on Saturday 28 March 2026, beginning at 12pm on the High Street between George IV Bridge and North Bridge. Full details are available on the Believe in Scotland website.
“Calton Hill, the National Monument. Edinburgh Scotland” by patrickfranzis is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.