REGARDING your comment which asked the question “Is the North-East racist” after an alleged assault outside a pub in Durham (Echo, Dec 29), is this article not an extreme over-reaction to one incident? Why, from one incident, are you asking if the whole region is racist?

After all the murders committed in the UK and elsewhere in 2017 by Isis-inspired Muslims, did the Echo ask the question: “Is Islam an evil, murderous religion?” I don’t think so.

When the Yorkshire Ripper was found guilty, did the Echo ask the question: “Are all Yorkshire people mass murderers?” I don’t think so.

T Brown, Durham