In response to a few published comments regarding recent protest activities ("Six officers charged in death of Freddie Gray," May 1), I would point out that yes, looters and rock-throwers are thugs. No apologies are necessary. Protesters are not thugs.
Second, the angry mother chasing and smacking her much taller teenage son was not an abuser. She was a justifiably angry mother. This is a far cry from a pro football player disciplining a small child with a switch. That is abuse.
And finally, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's reasoned, deliberate and thoughtful moves and the incredible restraint on the part of law enforcement facilitated mostly peaceful protest and limited violence.
Kathleen F. Randall, Sparks