WHO could possibly not be horrified by the police treatment of the black suspect in Minnesota? It chilled the blood.

So I understand the anger and wrath of those in America who protested, but, as almost always, the original and dignified protest was taken over and the looting was inexcusable. Unfortunately, that will be remembered more.

With regard to the London Black Lives Matter demo at the weekend ("UK gathers in solidarity with US as Floyd death sparks more unrest", The Herald, June 1), again who could disagree with the protest? Black lives do in-deed matter.

But so also do the lives of the most vulnerable members of our society who will be threatened after the tightly packed weekend marchers disperse and return to their homes.

Surely a dignified, candle-burning, silent vigil, keeping social distancing, would have been immeasurably more effective in making the point.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh EH6.

MARTIN Luther King Jr believed that images of black people being violent set the civil rights movement back 10 years while images of policemen being violent towards black people fostered the cause of the movement.

Today there is very good reason why black people are so angry about how they are treated by those sworn to uphold the law in the US.

However, the destruction and looting which has taken place in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd provides a great excuse for those with ingrained colour prejudice to depict the rioters as the culprits in this case.

The frustration of the black community is understandable, but the response of rioting is detrimental to their pur-suit of justice.

Peaceful demonstrations and street protests there must be but they should not allow themselves to be drawn into the type of action which plays so badly in the images flashed on the screens around the US.

The spirit of Martin Luther King Jr is what they should be channelling rather than going down the route of com-munity destruction.

You have to hope that US politicians will unite in the condemnation of the treatment of their fellow citizens and take steps to ensure that equality before law enforcement is the same for all their citizens, no matter whether they are black or white.

Denis Bruce, Bishopbriggs.

Rainbow warrior

I HESITATE to question the "queer history" perception of 19-year-old LGBT+ activist Nathan Terry ("Hundreds protest at rainbow for NHS", The Herald, June 1 and his concern regarding the perceived rebranding of the rain-bow to a symbol of support for the NHS. As a proud supporter of my country and the NHS, can I gently remind Nathan that the LGBT+ use of the rainbow has caused considerable upset to many Christians who saw such use as a distortion of the rainbow – a sign of God's Covenant in Genesis.

I suggest the LGBT+ find another symbol with no previous links.

James Watson, Dunbar.

Going radio ga-ga

THE main reason, apart from all the other main reasons, for getting beyond the Covid-19 lockdown, is to free the radio airwaves from Radio Duvet. So much of radio broadcasting now sounds as it did in the 1940s with the fading in and out of the signal, and the snap, crackle and pop to listen through.

Roll on the good broadcasting reception (FM for me) that we used to enjoy just a couple of months ago; but well done to everyone on radio doing their bit from under those duvets; barricaded under cushions in their sons' bedrooms and, in one case, from behind a clothes-horse draped in sheets.

Thelma Edwards, Kelso.