Behind the Headlines

Paul, Luton
Everyone has the right to their opinions no matter how ignorant they are, that’s democracy and freedom of speech. Try protesting in a Muslim country and see what happens.

John Beef
One accepts you have a right to protest, but what would these people do if the U.K. government decided to start up Conscription? We are in the minority in Europe as most other EEC Countries actually have conscription.I bet these guys wouldn't hang around to long?

David, Luton
I am very proud of our armed forces as they are the best in the world, but i am deeply ashamed of the senior police officer of Bedfordshire police for allowing the protest to take place against them.It's all very well to bang on about freedom of speech and the right to protest, what about the rights of the decent citizens of this town to enjoy the parade, without feeling intimidated by a hateful minority? I do hope the chief constable or whoever is responsible has the decency to offer a full apology to the regiment and the people of Luton.Shame on you .You have embarrassed the entire town and potentially set race relations back by a generation.

Steve from Stoke-on-Trent
The muslim extremists who incited racial hatred at the welcome home march should have been arrested and charged for such, and IF they are british citizens, charged with treason, they were an insult to all muslims and it's about time the british muslim council sorted out their own people in Britain. This sort of behaviour only makes things worse

Ann, Aylesbury
I don't support the British troops and I don't like anyone telling me I 'should'. The protesters yesterday may have been offensive but being offensive isn't a crime here, thank goodness.

Abdul-Haq
The protestors - who were non-violent and peaceful, although noisy, have every right to say what they like about this illegal war.

Paul from the Three Counties
I'm totally against the Afghan war but totally in support of our troops.The protestors are missing the point. Their protest should be conducted in Downing Street.I defend the protestors right to protest, evn though I wholly disagree with the subject of their protest.The most dangerous part of this is that Gordon Brown as heard to say "Civil protest will not be tolerated."If so then that's the end of democracy as we know it.

Alicia in Aylesbury
Whilst i dont blame the troops i dont agree with the war.I do however feel that war should not be celebrated People have died, what is there to celebrate?I also agree with the protestors, people have a right to their own opinion.

Ted in Milton Keynes
If I were to demonstrate with placards saying "All Muslims are terrorists and suicide bombers", I would rightly be arrested for racial hatred. So why not these people in Luton.

Matt, Stevenage
These anti-war protesters are just ignorant people that really have no idea what is going on Iraq. We must be proud of our troops and we must show them how proud we are because these soldiers have seen and experienced terrible things in Iraq that most of us couldn’t imagine. Can you imaging these types of people protesting in London during a home coming of troops during WW2, (wouldn’t happen). We are soft on these types of ignorant people today. I want to thank the troops for making my life a lot safer.

Jim Cambridgeshire.
I would like to express my concerns over the action of the police at yesterdays parade. The scum who protested should have at the very least been moved away from the scene when they first started their demo,no one was arrested for their actions whilst white british people who were angry and shocked by what they saw were detained. I thought the police were there to provide law and order not to let idiots threaten and insult members of our armed forces who are only doing the job for which they have been trained. These men and woman put their lives at risk each day on active service for this country and we all should be proud for what they do.

joy
yes i support our troupsi felt so proud of them marching along yesterday.i felt ashamed of the protestors and sorry for our troups having to see that sort of thing on their home coming.

Jane, Luton
Yet again, the already poor reputation of of Luton has been tarnished by a handful of lunatic extremists...

Irene, Stopsley
Our soldiers are doing a great job

John, Luton
with regard to the disgusting scenes caused by a minority of the Muslim community on the streets of Luton yesterday, these individuals should have been arrested under the public order act for trying to insight public disorder from the otherwise peaceful support and gratitude towards our Troops, There is such an Offence under the public Order Act why was it not used, Also on the Look East News last night there was the Chairman of Lutons Race relations Board Who had the audacity to claim to speak for the majority of Lutons Population stating that they were against the war, How dare he come forward with such a sweeping statment, how the hell would he know what Lutonians think, what research has he done, I can't remember a survey asking the people of Luton for their views on the subject, this guy should come up with facts to support his claim or be sacked he is a disgrace and I certainly would not want my council tax spent on someone who obviously mak! es the figures up as he goes along, reading between the lines of his statement he also had some sympathy for the demonstrators,not once did he condem them or show any support for our troops, Sack him and sack him now The people of Luton don't wish to be represented by people like him.

Oldie
Sure, the Iraq war was wrong and was sold to us on a deliberate lie - most Brits would agree on that. But most Brits also venerate their armed forces, so any insults to them are felt like insults to Britain itself.The problem with these idiots yesterday is that they grew up in a ghetto, exposed to a single point of view and with virtually no exposure to mainstream British culture. If they knew anything about the other 92% of us, they would realise that the people they ought to insult are Blair for lying and the craven MPs who voted for Blair's war, not the poor troops who have to do what they are told.As for that hopeless 'community leader' who said (in effect) that they are better shouting than blowing us up, words fail me. He and his kind have ensured that these 'communities' live in their own little bubbles and never integrate - if they did, there would be no 'community' to lead, and no important jobs for the leaders. When will the led see through this conspiracy?

Joe, Caddington
i'm shocked by the actions of anti war protestors, the soldiers follow orders. why dont they protest outside the dept of defence?thats where the orders come from....but for doing that today in luton...they are a disgrace

Julie, Dunstable
I was actually at the ceremony at Luton today and would like to point out that the protestors may have made their point along the parade, but only on a certain part of the route. The remainder of the route was packed with proud well wishers, who let the soldiers know their real worth and the publics real thoughts not this minority of approximately 15 people in the town. During the ceremony the police contained the protest well, and then isollated them in one area where the members of the public returned to make their thoughts known to the protestors in no uncertain terms. The police managed the situation well, except that they seemed to protect the protestors from the public - Im sure they would have been linched otherwise. I would also like to point out that the parents of one soldier who had died was at the ceremony and Im sure the protestors added to their grief. The soldiers definitely should parade again tomorrow. Well done to them.

Steve, Bedford
The protestors were simply voicing what the vast majority of Luton's Muslims believe. Where are the Islamic leaders who represent their community? Why are they not voicing out their condemnation?The real disgrace however is not what happened today, it is the action of this government who started these wars that is at fault. Pity the poor soldiers caught in between.

Pat , Houghton Regis
I was there in Luton supporting our brave troops. This group of islamic protestors walked passed us inciting trouble by shouting out 'murdering bastards' referring to our troups.They then had placards with one stating Islamic crusade.These dispicable protestors dislike our western ways and all that our freedom stands for. They are the enemy within and they should have all be rounded up and deported back to their native country. This was not their right to protest by inciting a riot.The local law abiding british people who have so far tolerated such attacks on our way of life by fundalmentalists suddenly turned on the protestors and about time. This is our country and our free way of life and the line was crossed. enough is enough.

Peter in Luton
One of the protestors placardsread "crusade against islam"..thats religious hatred and they should have been arrested..

Gerry in Luton
In this country freedom of speech is now selective. It is ok for a group of immigrant muslims to deliberately offend people going about their lawful business, but if I were to mount a reciprocal protest against them I would be arrested immediately.This is indicative of the reverse racism that now exists in this country. The white indigenous population are increasingly under threat from an establishment who are frightened of the immigrant extremists. Luton is becoming a town with a reputation for breeding and encouraging terrorists and yesterday was proof of that.

Beckie Howard, Luton
I don't agree with the war, however, what happened yesterday was a disgrace..protests should be made to politicians, not to our brave soldier, who are doing the job they were told to do..the protesters are a disgrace to the community.

paul baldwin
only in britain cold we put up with muslims rioting against our soldiers in our country.

Diane of Barnham, Thetford
I watched with dismay and disbelief at the unfolding scenes that occured during the freedom parade for the Royal Anglians. Whilst I agree that everyone has the right to protest, people do not have the right to incite religious/racial hatred. Why werent the individuals arrested on the spot and held for inciting this hatred? If it had been the homecoming supporters doing this then they would have been arrested straight away and charged. I believe a full investigation should be conducted and the two people arrested should be freed as all they were doing was standing up for the Anglians. Yet again the "ethnic minority" has got away with inciting behaviour. Lets hope we see the arrests of these people.

Rich
Your "boys" and "girls" have been party to the murder of tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi citizens. To parade after what we have done to the country ,from our support of Saddam to our sanctions and finally our invasion and occupation is just sick.

Wayne Tower
Why do we put up with these protesters here! they just started giving me abuse because i stood to support our boys and girls from Iraq. They choose to be in our country, if they dont like our believes and our freedom then they also have the choice. . .the freedom to leave this great nation!