Royal visit - Memorial ceremony urges peace

There have been some complaints that the visit of Queen Elizabeth II was not necessary at this time, and some people have cited the cost of providing security as justification for their opposition.

Extra security would be necessary in any event, but the violence wrought by a comparatively few mindless individuals more than justifies not only the cost of that security but also the traffic disruption that objectors so readily denounce.

In the last analysis, it is not the queen who has caused the disruption, but those people who exploit the opportunity to engage in violence. The age profile of those involved is a clear indication that they were not motivated by any personal historical involvement. It has just been an opportunity to engage in violence. Everyone has a right to demonstrate peacefully, but those who engage in violent protest are an affront to our democratic republic, and thus they add insult to the historical injuries they are supposedly highlighting.