Dear Sir,

On reading today’s newspaper (January 14, 2021), my attention was drawn to a Letter to the Editor, headlined “Spot the difference”, and penned by Elspeth A. Gray, from Warwick.

I respect and uphold freedom of speech, but I was stupefied when I read Ms Gray’s letter. Ms Gray, obviously you have no idea about what the difference is between a peaceful demonstration and armed mob violence.

A peaceful demonstration — which is every person’s right — was what a crowd of locals, of all ages and backgrounds, used to reinforce their objection to the government of the day, which was in the process of giving away the right to build and operate a Bermuda airport to a foreign entity. That foreign entity will be benefiting from the Bermuda Government for many years to come, putting financial pressure on the Government that it can ill afford.

Armed mob violence, in contrast, is a raging and riotous act that was performed in the US by a mob of armed supporters — incited by one deranged individual — who rose up against the results of a perfectly legal election process that was proved over and over through the courts, but falsely claimed to be fraudulent and stolen.

Ms Gray, you must have missed all of the American newscasts showing the armed mob breaking into and destroying the Capitol Building, chanting and intimidating the Capitol Police, who were desperately trying to protect the representatives of the House who were there doing their duty.

You cannot compare the two, and to use your own words, please spot the difference.

VELDA D. SMITH

Devonshire