WHAT a sad day the immigration protest was. Our beautiful park in Wisbech has now become synonymous with intolerance and conflict.

We who reside adjacent to the park were rightly nervous of disorder. Why did we to have this threat forced upon us?

When planning an innocent event in the park, such as a brass band concert, a multi-cultural festival or even a quiet early morning walk to hear the dawn chorus, one has to apply for permission.

Were the organisers of this appalling event required to complete the paperwork in the same way as the organisers of innocent community events?

Did they pay a fee or are there special rules for assemblies that might provoke violence?

Remember even Wisbech Town Council is required to pay a fee for its events in the park.

This rally, if Wisbech had to be burdened with it, should been held somewhere where it would not have inconvenienced and frightened residents.

Surely ideal places would have been the yet-to-be-developed Cromwell Park or the council’s unused open land on the Waterfront.

This use of the park deprived others of the peaceful enjoyment of one of Wisbech’s most charming spots.

With the wide media coverage this event attracted I fear that all the good work improving and promoting the park for recreation was undone in one fell swoop.

JOHN SMITH

Wisbech

Via e-mail