This pointless protest has run its course

AT last. The poor have risen against the establishment. This forgotten army of the neglected has unfurled its banners and is ready for the fight. The bankers will no longer be able to ignore these well-trained battalions and may be quaking in their shoes.

But a number of these aren’t just any kind of poor, rather they see themselves as representatives of the underprivileged. They have a mission, a cause which they espouse for eight hours of the day before retiring to the leafy suburbs for R and R in preparation for their next day of earnest protest.

Whether they’ve been specially selected for interview by the BBC I don’t know, but those I’ve seen so far have been articulate, educated and confident, often speaking with a foreign accent.

One would think these people would be well-qualified for a job which earned them a living rather than choose to be on benefits or subsidised by daddy. Like most of us, even taking into account of its shortcomings, I believe in democracy and the right to protest – one only has to look at Syria – but I would have thought two days would have been enough. What are these protesters contributing while playing guitar in front of St Paul’s?

Come on, this protest is going nowhere. In our British democracy have you ever thought how long you’d be allowed to protest in front of a mosque?

In praise of beach bonfires

From: Andrew Vevers, Fulford Park, York.

LIKE Mark Downing (Yorkshire Post, November 11), I too was in Scarborough on Bonfire Night.

What a great time everybody was having. There were at least 10 bonfires along South Bay and people were free to let off their fireworks in a safe manner as there was lots of room and all the rockets went out to sea.

And there was no need for marshals in yellow jackets herding people about. Yes, some people brought cans of beer to drink but I saw no trouble and there were many families with young children enjoying themselves. Next morning at first light there were council workers out clearing up the beach. Much had already cleansed itself as the tide had come in. It had also conveniently washed up lots of spent rockets so these were easy to collect. The remains of the bonfires had all gone in the next day or so.

To Scarborough Council, a big thanks for being so tolerant. Please don’t change a thing.

Ignoring local knowledge

From: Terry Wade, Barnsley.

I REFER to an article written by Paul Whitehouse (Yorkshore Post, November 7) regarding the unused park and ride facility at Tesco on Wombwell Lane near Barnsley.

The same reporter wrote an article on the park and ride fiasco in October 2010 which also merited a mention in the Comment section.

The article and Editorial criticised Barnsley Council for the site’s unsuitability and the council’s arrogance in ignoring local knowledge.

Now we read that hopes are rising for the site’s re-emergence as a park and ride facility.

Yet another traffic study has been set up by the council to find new ways of improving traffic movements in the area.

Guess what; despite all the criticisms, to my knowledge no residents in the area are involved in the study.

Barnsley Council should abandon any thoughts of this park and ride scheme as the site is totally unsuitable, and not waste any more taxpayers’ money on needless surveys.

I fear we could be discussing the same subject in five years’ time.

Green belief

From: Ken Hartford, Durham Mews, Butt Lane, Beverley.

THERE is such a thing as society and the only political party really interested in it are the Greens (many of whom are Quakers, incidentally).