Violent attacks continue

Your report (24 August) on the victory of the animal rights activists is dismaying. Citizens of the United Kingdom engaged in legal activities have been the subject of illegal, violent assaults for more than six years. Whatever action the police have taken has been entirely ineffective.

Since large public companies and Oxford University, institutions with some influence, have also been compelled to curtail or cease altogether legal activities and these outrages have been headline news for years, we must question the degree of importance which the Home Office has attached to this matter.

All of this comes when we are under relentless terrorist attacks, also conducted by some of our fellow native born citizens. It is sad but true that those who carry out these attacks compel us to accept some erosion of our civil liberties in order that they may be brought to book. This is a penalty worth paying; in both wars we accepted huge restrictions which were restored when victory was won; it will be so again.

DS HOSKINS

Cameron March

Edinburgh