THE organiser of an online petition criticising today’s “Orangefest” in Glasgow has been forced to delete her Facebook and Twitter accounts after receiving death threats.

Julie Philp, who started the petition on Tuesday, says that her elderly parents and siblings have also been the victims of abuse.

As well as the threats, pictures of Philp’s wedding and pictures of her family have been shared on forums and in Facebook groups.

The 29-year-old, who lives in Glasgow, says that even her employer, a financial services company, has been targeted.

Philp is perturbed by how much information the supporters of the Orange Order’s event have managed to find: “I don’t know how they’ve managed to do it, but they’ve got more and more of my photos even though all my settings are private”.

Yesterday, after sustained abuse on Twitter and Facebook, Philp deleted her social media accounts.

She says the photos don’t contain anything she’s ashamed of. “What I’m more concerned about is the abuse, the death threats. It’s on another level”.

Philp reels off some of the threats: “‘Burn her, she’s a witch, let’s go after her.’ It’s insane”.

Despite the threats, she doesn’t regret starting the petition.

When she first posted it online, she expected 200 or so signatures. Last night the petition was approaching 30,000.

It states: “The people of Glasgow and Scotland are sick of their voices going unheard in relation to sectarian, hate-filled Orange marches. Now we have to put up with Orangefest.

“We demand that GCC [Glasgow City Council] answer to the people of Glasgow as to why this was allowed to go ahead in a city-centre location on a busy Saturday.”

“Let’s be clear, I’m not talking about banning the Orange Order or banning marches” said Philp.

“This whole Orangefest came out of nowhere at the beginning of the week. There was no consultation, there was nothing. All the opposing parties have come out and said it’s absolutely ludicrous.

“But the [Glasgow City Council] Licensing Committee were left no option but to let it go ahead or else they land themselves in court with a big costly court case from the Orange Order.

“Orangefest was just a step too far”

Police Scotland told The National that they were aware of the threats made and were investigating.

The all-day event today has been billed as a “heritage” day, with speakers, bands, and choirs. A march of around 400 walkers will set off from Glasgow’s Holland Street and make its way to George Square.

Representatives of other faiths have been invited to the event as well as a representative from the Irish consulate.

On Thursday The National reported that businesses around George Square said they were already losing customers as a result of the event.

At Thursday’s licensing committee, Police Scotland admitted that the “low-risk” event would, after the interest in the media and online, need to be policed differently.

Nobody at the Orange Order returned The National’s request for a comment.

However, a statement from the Orange Order released yesterday read: “The usual suspects have made a last-minute attempt at discrediting the event, deriding it as ‘provocative’ and ‘divisive’ and calling upon the city council to ban it.

“We have to live with the knee-jerk hostility of those who are diametrically opposed to the

Order’s religious and patriotic principles.

“For everyone else, this event is an open invitation to gain a better understanding of one of Glasgow’s oldest and biggest fraternal and charitable organisations, warts and all.

“Recent government-funded studies on sectarianism advocated greater public engagement in order to tackle myths and misconceptions, break down barriers and improve community relationships.

“Saturday’s event is an honest contribution towards that end.”