GLASGOW City Council said its officers are set to meet this week “as it’s perhaps time to review our procedures” after a hate crime attack on a Catholic priest during the Orange Walk.

The local authority’s response comes as over 25,000 people have signed a petition to ban the annual parade in Glasgow.

Police Scotland today appealed to members of an Orange Walk for witnesses to an attack on a priest as the parade passed his church.

READ MORE: Thousands sign petition to ban Orange Walk in Glasgow after priest hate crime

Canon Tom White had been speaking to parishioners outside St Alphonsus Church, in the Barras area of the city, on Saturday afternoon when he was spat on twice before being lunged at by a man with a baton.

The Archdiocese of Glasgow said both Canon White and his parishioners had been “subjected to vile abuse” and Police Scotland is now investigating the incident as a hate crime.

As the change.org petition gathers pace, a Glasgow City Council spokeswoman told the Evening Times the local authority “utterly condemns this appalling behaviour.”

Glasgow Times:

She said: “We urge anyone with any information on the incident to contact the police.

“A meeting with council officers will be held this week as it’s perhaps time to review our procedures in light of a number of factors.

READ MORE: Police vow to catch thug responsible for priest attack during Orange March

“We will also continue to liaise with Police Scotland, organisers, the Scottish Government, third parties and stakeholders as part of the council’s processions’ code of conduct.

“Our aim is always to strike a reasonable balance between protecting the fundamental right of individuals and organisations to organise and participate in public processions, and the need to minimise disruption to the wider community by protecting the rights of all of Glasgow’s citizens to go about their business without unnecessary disturbance and interference.”

READ MORE: Prominent Scottish actor  'ashamed' of Glasgow in wake of attack on Catholic priest

Scottish actor John Hannah earlier condemned the Orange Walk.

Writing from Kuala Lumpur, in Malaysia, the 56-year-old Four Weddings and a Funeral start wrote on Twitter: “It’s the 21st century and my city, Glasgow, still allows this barbaric, bigoted bunch of medieval f***wits to parade thru the city displaying their narrow minded blinkered version of fascism for the whole world to see. I’m ashamed of you Glasgow!!!”