#LightTheWay: Demo to be held in Kelvingrove

Hundreds of people are set to gather in Kelvingrove Park next month, demanding Glasgow City Council do more to keep them safe at night.

The demonstration, which is part Clyde News' #LightTheWay campaign, will be held in the park on Friday December 10th at 6pm, at the Stewart Memorial Fountain, and will bring people from across the city together to call for improved lighting in city parks and highlight the safety concerns of women and groups across Glasgow.

#LightTheWay

The event is part of Clyde News' continuing campaign on improving women’s safety and follows initiatives such as ‘I Walk With Women’ which examined what more men can do to help keep the streets safe. The date marks the end of the UN’s annual 16 day campaign against gender based violence.

Hosted by Clyde 1’s Cassi the event will have a range of speakers including Natalie Crawford-Goodwin from the #LightTheWay campaign, with additional speakers to be announced closer to the date.

Cassi said: “I just don’t feel safe on my local streets at the moment. I don’t think there’s enough lighting anywhere, in parks, on country roads and even rural areas. And as the world is moving, we’re being asked to walk more and cycle more - how are we supposed to do that when we don’t feel safe at night?

"I limit myself to daytime hours because I can’t walk through my local park – there’s no lighting. It’s not just about women’s safety, it’s about us all feeling safe when we walk the streets at night.”

The #LightTheWay campaign was launched by Clyde 1 earlier this month and has brought together a range of community groups and organisations who are calling on the local authority to provide safe lighting in Glasgow’s greenspaces, particularly Kelvingrove Park which is one of the most popular in the city.

Fresh concerns following COP26

The debate over lighting in the park was reignited during COP26 after a Police diversion forced women to walk through a dimly lit area of Kelvingrove to get home. Generator powered lights had been temporarily put into the park for the event and campaigners are keen that improved light is now made permanent.

The issue of women’s safety is continuing to remain high on the agenda with the recent Home Office appointment of former Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini to chair an inquiry to address issues raised following the abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard and Glasgow campaigners believe it is more important than ever that action is taken and that “we must do more.”

Clyde 1's senior reporter Natalie Crawford-Goodwin, who has organised the campaign, said: “Friday 10th December, the day of the demonstration is the last day in the UN’s 16 days of action against gender-based violence so it is really appropriate to bring together #IWalkWithWomen and #LightTheWay.

“We can - and must - do more to protect women across Glasgow and we have already seen that action can be taken when there is political will.

“This vigil will ensure that decision-makers know that we will not stay silent and that women’s safety at night should be a top priority.

“We are anticipating a good turn out for the demonstration which will reflect the strength of feeling about the campaign- we must protect women better.”

City wide support

The #LightTheWay campaign has been supported by groups and organisations throughout the city. MSPs and councillors have also added their support to the campaign.

Leading women's safety campaigners including the Chief Executive of Rape Crisis Scotland, Sandy Bindley has also called for more action to address the concerns of women at night.

"It's the least we can expect from our public authorities to take reasonable steps to make places safe, particularly for women, when we are going about our business,” she told us.

"We're not talking about going into parks at midnight, but this is Scotland in the winter where it is dark from about 4pm.

"Is the council really saying that public spaces should be no-go areas for women outwith working hours? I think that's unacceptable.”

Local authority response

Responding to the campaign, a spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “Ensuring personal safety in public spaces is an absolute priority for the council.

“We want people to feel secure and safe when moving around the city and we are aware this can be a particular issue for women, LGBTQ+ communities and those from black and ethnic minority backgrounds.

“Our draft active travel strategy also has a clear focus on providing safe routes throughout the city for walking, wheeling and cycling at all times of the day, all year round.

“We also have a responsibility to protect and promote the city’s biodiversity and ensure that our open spaces provide suitable habitats for wildlife. It is crucial that we fully understand the potential for unintended consequences by changing lighting patterns in these natural spaces.

“But we are fully aware of the concerns being expressed on safety in parks at night. Lighting up parks is undoubtedly technically possible and we are actively looking at the experience of other places as well as relevant academic research.

“This is a complex issue with a number of competing priorities and careful consideration of possible measures must be undertaken to understand properly the potential impact on the city’s flora and fauna, but also whether any changes will create a safer environment for people to use.”

Join us!

The #LightTheWay demonstration takes place at 6pm on Friday the 10th of December at the Stewart Memorial Fountain in Kelvingrove Park. All our welcome to attend to show their support.

You can also show your support by tweeting using the #LightTheWay.

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