DURING the early nineties and before the Iraq War, via a local advert I joined a group of women calling themselves ‘Women in Black’ to silently protest against the invasion of Iraq.

I was already behind but not fully demonstrating with the anti-war protest during Tony Blair’s Bournemouth Labour Conference at the BIC. At the time, Tony Benn made a speech in the Lower Gardens.

I stood silently for a few hours with that group of about twenty under the gas fire lamp in Bournemouth Square and took lots of abuse. Believe it or not, most wanted war back then even if they won’t admit it now.

Yet what shocked me more is that afterwards we all went to a café on Richmond Hill where introductions were made to all. There was no apparent leader, but a high majority of people claiming - nay boasting, past high profile protests going back to ‘Ban the Bomb!’ I felt quite left out as this was my first one.

My point being is that many of these protesters today creating disruption on major city roads are nothing more than professional antagonists out to create havoc in any which way they can.

Once upon a time and not too long ago, we had many demonstrations, especially in London, but just for a day and mostly during a weekend. Now we got these professional antagonists or even anarchists taking over our towns and cities for weeks on end and without any end to it.

When you hear them answer questions about how much misery or even deaths they are causing – within their complete arrogance they reply – ‘Well at least we are getting talked about!’

Well yes you certainly are but it is much the same as we talked about other despots. You are doing more against your cause and making the general population hate you.

I protest about you protestors and that is MY right!

CHRISTINE PETERS

Wellington Road, Bournemouth