I HAVE lost any sympathy with, or support for, those taking part in the ‘Black Lives Matter’ demonstrations after seeing the acts of mindless vandalism that were perpetrated over the weekend.

The right to protest is a fundamental freedom in a democratic society - but resorting to desecration of national monuments and destruction of property while doing so, is nothing less than criminal, and totally inexcusable.

We are told that the vast majority of those marching were demonstrating peacefully - but there was little indication that they made any attempt to curb the activities of the ‘few’.

Quite apart from anything else, demonstrators were flouting social-distancing rules, as a consequence of which, it is almost certain that we will see a spike in Covid-19 cases, and deaths therefrom, particularly among people of colour, whom researchers have identified as having a much higher risk of severe reaction to Covid-19.

There is no place in a civilised society for the lawlessness that we have witnessed over the past week or so.

By all means fight for a better future - but you don’t achieve a better future by attempting to rewrite or airbrush history.

ROBERT READMAN

Norwich Avenue West, Bournemouth