Protest gatherings could undo months of diligence

One has to question the sense behind Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announcing that those attending the planned Black Lives Matter demonstration in Melbourne will be free to breach social distancing rules.

Neither government nor police are invested with the right to decide that some people can be given the OK to break the law while others breaking the same law are charged and fined — at the end of May, 5957 Victorians found to have breached the coronavirus rules were fined $1652 each. One wonders how these Victorians feel about the Premier announcing that some Victorians are being granted a sort of political indulgence that allows them to break the law.

Bill Anderson, Surrey Hills, Vic

An examination of the placards being waved in violent protests around the world from London to New York to Melbourne reveals that George Floyd’s unfortunate death has become a peripheral issue. The streets are being taken over by the same mobs usually protesting about climate change, G7 meetings or a bag of fringe issues. That these same people will be permitted this weekend in our capital cities to undo months of diligent effort and sacrifice by their communities in enforced lockdowns defies comprehension.

John McLeod, Sunshine Coast, Qld

Greg Sheridan overlooks one key difference between the US riots today and those of 1968 (“Violent protests may help Trump at the ballot box”, 4/6). The latter had one simple objective — to end the war in Vietnam.

But today’s protests have no clear goal (beyond, perhaps, the removal of Donald Trump). As such they are an anarchic and lawless attempt to destabilise the nation and Trump cannot allow them to continue or let people see him as the problem.

He must therefore stop just talking tough and take decisive action against the rioters and looters who ignore his curfews. Ideally he should also articulate ideas for tackling racism, especially in the police forces.

Otherwise, people will see him as a vacuous blowhard and the obvious solution will be to remove him at the November election.

Tom Drake-Brockman, Berrilee, NSW

Rioting and criminality in the city streets of the US is about a separate society of angry black and white people with systemic racism at its core. There is no recognition of civil rights or any desire for reconciliation between black and white people in the US. It is a divided country between left and right, and black and white.

Australia does not fare much better. There is certainly systemic racism in this country. I have seen it in the justice system and observed an unwillingness to advance our indigenous brothers and sisters towards a fair go. I am sorry for all of the past injustices done to Aborigines and do wish them a better future.

The recognition and reconciliation Statement from the Heart was fair dinkum and says it all. It is the last opportunity for all Australians to come together and live in peaceful co-existence and harmony. Otherwise there will be no other way but for indigenous and other Australians to come together in civil disobedience and solidarity.

Brian Winship, Port Macquarie, NSW

“You say you want a revolution, well you know, we all want to change the world,” sang the Beatles more than 50 years ago. An important rider followed: “But when you talk about destruction, don’t you know that you can count me out.”

The widespread violence, arson, vandalism and theft committed by protesters in the US only serves to seriously undermine their cause. Unfortunately, sections of the conventional media can’t bring themselves to mount a strong and sustained denunciation of this behaviour.

Simply bleating from the high moral ground on the causes themselves (which are already well understood) give the impression that violence, arson, vandalism and theft are acceptable as long as the cause is valid. You can count me out.

Michael Grant, South Perth, WA