Don’t give SDL any publicity

Sir, - I must state at the outset, that I have absolutely no objection to the building of a new mosque in Perth, nor do I have any affiliation to the various organisations that were represented in our Fair City on Sunday passed.

However, it concerns me that it would appear to be wrong to express an opinion and would be almost normal to be condemned for doing just that.

I believe Voltaire said: ‘I may never agree with your opinion, but will fight to the death to allow you to have it.’

Is it therefore not the right of every person to express their opinion (as long as they do so, without committing an offence) completely free from any form of intimidation?

According to reports, from all parts of social media and indeed this newspaper, the SDL group were relatively small in number and other than being unwanted and probably a nuisance element, they by and large planned to express their wishes by holding what was (I am led to believe) a fairly harmless event.

They were portrayed as racists, fascists and Nazis and I have no doubt that they may be such, but the ‘anti fascist’ groups did neither themselves or any one else any favours by objecting in the manner they did.

Indeed, it could be claimed that by denying the voice of the SDL, no matter how vile that may be, when protesting against them, they did so in a bullying and undemocratic manner.

Therefore, rightly or wrongly, those who became part of the objecting group, may in turn leave themselves open to the accusation of fascist behaviour, in that they do not permit freedom of speech and the right to have an opinion or indeed a march.

I would therefore suggest that rather than attract the interest that has occurred, the best course of action would be to not give these people the oxygen of relevance and to totally ignore the minority that is the SDL.

Therefore allow them to march without a bigger group which did nothing but inflame the situation, and in doing so caused greater disruption.

Perhaps a little thought should go into objection, rather than a knee-jerk reaction of opposition.

Brian A Falconer. 30 Market Court , Perth.