I went to a meeting recently at the Friends’ Meeting House and was shocked to hear of apparent injustice in our legal system. The topic was “criminalising dissent”, and we heard how 119 arrests had been made after the pro-Gaza London demonstration in January last year.

Many of the arrests were made months afterwards. Most of those arrested were young men and women under 25.

Out of the 79 charged, 77 were young Muslims and 23 have ended up in prison for up to two years. Apparently, one lad was sentenced to a year in prison for throwing a placard stick against riot police in the process of “kettling” and taking a chair from a café to sit on. The judge said he was using the sentence as a “deterrent”.

Surely demonstrations are a safety valve of vital value in a democratic society – “deterring” young people from protesting openly is asking for trouble.

What is happening to freedom of speech and the right to demonstrate in this country?

I’m 65 years old and I reserve the right to voice my opinion in public demonstrations. This is the freedom we have fought for, and this is the freedom we must preserve.

Sue Lister, Dunnington, York.