We must learn from US protests

THE EDITOR: To view on TV what happened to the man who lost his life in Minneapolis in the US last week was bizarre, unreal and heart-wrenching, to say the least. That is beyond unfortunate and, quite rightly, the culprits should be held accountable according to the laws that obtain in that jurisdiction.

However, the mayhem and anarchy that followed in different parts of the US showed what a misguided mob can become by their actions. That can never be justification.

Burning down businesses and destruction of property with rampant looting are not going to help the objectives of the protesters nor are they going to bring instant change to the status quo. It might very well work against them.

The people who engaged in the wanton destruction of property should have thought about the job losses to those protesters who live there. So it is very likely to backfire on the same working class people who were lining up for food parcels all over the country due to the covid19 pandemic.

Mob rule can never be healthy for any society and we must learn from that episode as we think about burning tyres and other items on the streets of our country in order to show dissent.

LINDA DASS

via e-mail