It is no wonder that people are disgusted by the actions of a small group of Muslim extremists who disrupted a parade for soldiers returning from Iraq and held up banners accusing the troops of being "cowards" and "killers". For some Leicester Mercury readers, the offence caused will have been personal because the parade, held in Luton, was in honour of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment, which recruits from Leicestershire.

It will have been more distressing still for the loved ones of soldiers who have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However, we should try to keep this incident in perspective. While the protest made the front page of several national newspapers, with headlines such as "Enemy Within" and "Sickening", the press coverage far outweighed the significance of the demonstration, which only actually involved about 20 people.

We sincerely hope that this incident and the coverage it has received does not lead people to the perception that the actions of this tiny minority are somehow representative of the wider Muslim community. Nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, Muslim leaders in Leicester have condemned the protest and they are far more representative than a small group of extremists.

Muslims have already suffered from unfair and negative perceptions over the past few years. It would be dreadful if this protest fuelled further hostility towards them.

It is also worth remembering that, while the protest was undoubtedly odious, it is the mark of a civilised society that it was allowed to go ahead at all – and that is something which should give us a degree of comfort.

The tolerance our society shows in allowing these people the freedom to demonstrate reflects rather better on us than their behaviour and lack of respect does on them.