The eyes of the world were on Glasgow in the early 90s, where a man led a treehouse protest with his family against plans to build a motorway through the city's biggest park.
Colin MacLeod, who became known as the Birdman of Pollok, spearheaded the campaign – hoping to stop the M77 from tearing down public woodland.
It all started when he spent nine days up a tree in 1992, looking to protect the area where he spent his childhood with his brothers.
The protest had brought together local people with environmental activists and the Pollok Free State was born – a new community fighting for the use of public space.
The then Strathclyde Regional Council was set to fell trees to make way for the motorway.
The proposed motorway would skirt Cowglen Golf Club, set to demolish five schools which served children from council estates. The finished road would cut Pollok locals away from the park.
This was an issue that lay close to Colin's heart, who grew up on a local council estate and spent his childhood in the rambling greenery of Pollok Estate.
Speaking to local TV at the time, he said: “We’re here to teach people that there’s something we can do, by getting in front of the builders and showing politicians that if you refuse to listen to us, we’re not going away.”
Local school children went on strike from school after finding out their buildings were set to be demolished. Protestors blocked roads and hundreds marching against the motorway.
Despite the attention surrounding the campaign, Colin’s efforts were fruitless.
The camp’s inhabitants were pushed out by private bailiffs supported by police, followed by the tearing of chainsaws as they ripped down trees.
Author Darren McGarvey, who was involved in the protests, recalled: “It is not the fact that the motorway ended up getting built that everyone remembers - or the fact that we lost.
“It is the feeling of connected-ness that people felt when they were down there.
“That is what life is all about, win or lose.”
After the protest wrapped up, Pollok Free Estate created GalGael.
Known as the ‘free child of Pollok Park’, the movement used Gaelic history for inner-city renewal in Glasgow.
Colin brought in individuals suffering with addictions to be involved in projects such as building traditional birlinn boats, making the structures so they could float down the Clyde.
In 2005, Colin passed away at the age of 39.
600 mourners walked behind a handmade coffin, designed by the team at GalGael.
Now entering their 25th year the charity is continuing to help bring people together for a common task, benefitting the marginalised and disenfranchised people of Glasgow.
