Containment could have been less rigid

Sir, - Regarding the article by Paul Reoch in The Courier (September 27) while I agree that the police response was warm and efficient, I attended the counter demo as part of a contingent of Perth Green Party to protest at the Scottish Defence League’s recent needless visit to Perth.

While the police were warm and friendly the counter demo was infiltrated by at least two SDL members who were quickly weeded out by the police and spent the next couple of hours on their mobiles outside the city hall while waiting for the rest of their gang to be uncaged.

There were also masked counter protesters from outside Perth who looked very intimidating.

While I understand the need for the police to ensure the situation was contained, the one thing I would suggest if the SDL again dare to show (or not show) their faces on the streets of Perth is that the containment of the counter demonstrators should be less rigid.

This was mainly a demonstration of the local people of Perth united against fascists.

While many others from all over Scotland came to support the local people it was obvious by the number of prams and young children accompanying their parents that this was very much an outpouring of local feeling against right wing fascists from outside Perth trying to tell us what to think.

Most had to leave early as it became quite a squash and at one stage I was in great danger of hitting innocent protesters with my placard.

Elspeth Maclachlan. 122 Dunsinane Drive, Perth.

Picture: Gareth Jennings. The SDL march through Perth was controversial.