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The policing of two Republican marches and Loyalist counter-protests on one day in Glasgow last month cost taxpayers £176k.

Around 400 officers from Police Scotland were deployed to monitor parades by Cairde Na Heireann (Calton Republicans) and Friends of IRPWA on Saturday, September 7.

The day was marred with sectarian violence as Loyalist counter-demonstrators lined the streets which led to violent disorder across the city.

Around 400 band members walked though the streets of Glasgow with a heavy police presence on hand to prevent any disorder.

In figures obtained by a Freedom of Information request by the Daily Record, it cost the taxpayer £176,439 to police the entire day, where 11 people were arrested.

(Image: PA)

Andrea MacDonald, chair of the Scottish Police Federation, called for the force to be funded appropriately after she revealed some officers may have been working for free that day.

She said: "We have the responsibility to the police to make sure there is a budget in place that reflects what they are being asked to do.

"£176,000 is the figure given, but this will be much more because not all officers will have been paid due to them losing rest days.

"Officers were taken out of their communities to cover the marches which means communities are losing out as well.

"If officers are losing rest days then it will have a knock on effect with them having to pay for babysitters, missing out on family time etc.

"There is a constant demand to police marches, concerts, football games so if you want these events policed properly then you have to fund it."

Hundreds of officers, including mounted cops, air support, and specialist riot cops were drafted in to deal with the marches.

The measures were put in place after violence erupted during a pre-organised event by the James Connolly Republic Flute Band on August 30 in Govan.

In the lead-up to the parades on September 7 top cops raised concerns over the likelihood of public disorder with the risk to the public's safety.

(Image: Sunday Mail)

Friends of IRPWA were confronted throughout the march which started in Blythswood Square and finished at the Barrowlands Park.

While the Cairde Na Heireann (Calton Republicans) march started in Millroad Street and ended at Clyde Street.

Anti-sectarian charity Nil by Mouth said the problem is now countrywide due to the money it's costing the taxpayer.

Dave Scott, director of the charity, said: "This hammers home the social cost but also the economic cost of these marches in Glasgow.

"Policing these marches and the violence around them are costing the taxpayer. The money could be spent elsewhere and to better effect.

(Image: PA)

"It's imperative now that Glasgow City Council sits down to fix this problem.

"It's completely unacceptable that this can been happening on our streets, this is a message to everyone in Scotland, not just people in Glasgow.

"This is not just a Glasgow problem, it's a problem for the whole of Scotland."

Following the marches on September 7, Glasgow City Council took the unprecedented decision to ban all Loyalist and Republican marches for the weekend of the 14th and 15th.

Six parades scheduled to march through the city were prevented from going ahead by the Public Processions Committee.