Climate protesters, or should I say Extinction Rebellion, have joined the ever-growing long line of zealot demonstrators. We have the now regular and very tedious SNP “independence” marches, Orange Walks, Remainers and Leavers already in full flow.

It is becoming difficult for those of us with no “cause” or cult to follow – that is the overwhelming vast majority – to avoid. Maybe the climate protesters could try blocking a main road as the others march along.

This form of protest or demonstration of power, or whatever, is really getting a little old hat and last century.

With Extinction Rebellion, however, there is as well a strong feeling that many of them are Hooray Henrys or Henriettas who will dash home after their protest to mummy and daddy’s large home, probably with a gas-guzzling Range Rover parked in the driveway, and think about their next disruption of the lives of ordinary working people going about their business or trying to get a sick relative or child through their chaos to hospital.

Alexander McKay

Edinburgh

Another week of protests by Extinction Rebellion and their brainwashed followers. They want the UK Government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. One protester held up a banner saying “Tell the Truth”. Well, here are some unpleasant truths.

The UK is responsible for 1.3% of global emissions, Scotland 0.13%, China 30%, India 6%, America 14.5%, so why are the brainwashed followers of Extinction Rebellion not making their way there?

Could it be that they would be arrested and thrown into a cell?

Closer to home Poland and Germany’s coal power plants and Ryanair are Europe’s biggest polluters. Germany’s coal power emissions alone are at least half of the total emissions from all sources in Britain.

Memo to Extinction Rebellion: the world is still building coal power plants and burning fossil fuels.

Clark Cross

Linlithgow

Bus finances are fare game

Your fascinating article on local authority finance (The Herald on Sunday, April 14) got me thinking ... if councils and the Scottish Government want to save money they could start with the example of Lothian Buses which had a surplus of £6 million last year.

I live in Glasgow and use First Bus with my bus pass and very rarely get the correct ticket and instead the Scottish taxpayer is overcharged. I go two stages that should cost £1.65 but instead I am given a £2.40 ticket. I use my pass four times per week there and back – that adds up to £6 overcharged every week .

How many people have a bus pass in Scotland and how many people’s journeys are overcharged like mine? Do the maths. I’ve asked friends with the pass to check their tickets and it’s the same with them.

The drivers used to give you a ticket one stage over where you were going to but since the turn of the year they just give you a ticket to the end of the line.

I’ve got on the bus at the same stop and got off at the same destination with paying friends and asked to see their ticket, and guess what? They were given the correct ticket of £1.65 and I was given a £2.40 ticket.

It seems to me to be systematic fraud of the Scottish taxpayer.

Rab Young

Glasgow

A question of independence

In his letter “This is indeed not the right time for indyref 2” (The Herald on Sunday, April 14), Keith Howell cautions Nicola Sturgeon to hold off calling indyref 2 until Brexit settles down.

This is not a genuine plea but a quieter way to stop indyref 2 in its tracks – it strikes me as “now is not the time” so often repeated by Theresa May. Mr Howell is a Unionist so he tries shedding crocodile tears for the people of Scotland, the poor things, as the Tories continue to pillage this country.

I prefer him as a red tooth-and-claw Tory, and expect that after Scottish independence he will become a member of the House of Lords; we will not be a part of that but his friends in the south will no doubt provide that bolthole.

I expect him to take the title Lord Howell – of Outrage.

Jim Lynch

Edinburgh

Nicola Sturgeon claims there will be “nothing disorderly” about Scottish independence, were it ever to happen. It would seem the years of Brexit chaos have passed her by – and we haven’t even got down to the detail yet.

What? It’s taking several years of bitter, fraught negotiations to extricate us from a “semi-detached” political union with the EU. It seems optimistic in the extreme to suggest severing 300-plus years of closely intertwined social, cultural, political and economic relationships will be a walk in the park.

Opinion polls shows the majority of us don’t want an imminent indyref2, however we may vote.

The truth behind Sturgeon’s rhetoric is that she knows voters are sick of hectoring politicians forcing referendums on us, with the potential to cause protracted constitutional chaos.

Martin Redfern

Edinburgh

Some people are shouting that there should be a mandated 40% vote for the Yes side in the next Scottish independence referendum.

Surely the 40% rule should also apply to the No side. This would avoid the dead and absentee voters having a say and we would be back to our normal democratic “one vote counts”.

Bill Kerr

Cumbernauld

Last year, All Under One Banner organisers claimed 100,000 joined the Glasgow march. In fact, the number was nearer 20,000, which is what they have applied for this year.

This habit of playing down the size of their parades when applying to the authorities then hyping them up to gain attention is dangerous fake news.

What if 100,000 do actually turn up? Can the police and cleansing departments cope? Who pays for this?

I watched the Inverness march where they claimed 15,000 attended but a video on YouTube shows the number was actually just over 3,000. Isn’t it about time accurate forecasts were provided, and a verified count made by the authorities?

Allan Sutherland

Stonehaven

Different view for Notre Dame

I WAS interested to learn that, despite its monopolisation by Roman Catholics, Notre Dame is owned not by the Vatican but by the French government.

With French president Emmanuel Macron having already signalled that he is open to new ideas for rebuilding the Cathedral, perhaps it is time to consider reconstructing it as a multi-faith centre for use by all.

For example, the incorporation of a minaret in place of the destroyed spire would be of use to Muslims, while the provision of a cafe or restaurant would be in the spirit of Laïcité, the secularism on which the French state is founded, and would appeal to persons of all faiths and none, especially if dietary regimes like kosher, halal and veganism were to be catered for.

John Eoin Douglas

Edinburgh

Latest rumour on The Mack saga is that Bob the Builder is taking over the rebuild contract, so at least something is happening. The previous management have taken the hump and have offered their wealth of experience to the French on the reinstatement works at Notre Dame cathedral instead.

George Dale

Beith

Wrong targets for conservationists

I don’t give much for the chances of the Victoria Park parakeets now that Scottish Natural Heritage is on their case (Wild parakeets’ days may be numbered in Glasgow park, The Herald on Sunday, April 14). Embedded at the heart of SNH there is a culling culture a Victorian gamekeeper would have been proud of.

Most species of deer, mountain hare, circa 24 species of native birds, beavers, grey squirrels, stoats, hedgehogs and even wallabies have been or currently are in the culling crosshairs of SNH.

With global warming parakeets will be one of many new native species in Scotland. Over the last four years, little egrets have become regular visitors to the foreshore in front of my house. Is SNH considering culling them?

Instead of wasting time and public money becoming the King Canute of wildlife, I suggest SNH and the Scottish Government turn their attention to a tide they can turn back – the tide of pollution and environmental damage coming from the salmon factory farming industry they have allowed to degrade more than 300 sites around our coast.

John F Robins

Animal Concern Advice Line

Dumbarton