Mr Gammon is wrong to criticise the policing of the World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) (Letters, June 19).

As the only non-organiser of the event to attend the planning meeting at Brighton police station on June 7 and also the only rider to finish Brighton's ride unexpectedly in the back of the police van, naked(ish), sweaty and squashed between five police officers and several stacked riot shields, I feel it necessary to clarify some points.

We should distinguish between policing policy decisions and the handling of the actual event.

I saw no heavy-handed policing on the day. I experienced only courteous, smiling, helpful low-key policing by officers who had clearly been briefed to tolerate as much as prudent and give warnings to avoid arrests.

My sweaty ride in the police van was because they offered me and my bike a lift, spotting I'd had a puncture. They dropped me off outside my home.

The 20-minute conversation I eavesdropped on during the journey showed no aggression, just balance and humour.

The Chief Superintendent's earlier policy decisions were not as good. At the planning meeting I was told he would authorise the arrest of totally naked riders since he wanted to clean Brighton up and protect the non-vocal majority.

As Brighton is used as a toilet by many visitors, the policy is apparently to draw a line between the good and the bad.

Of course, this has to be done and, of course, there are many different non-vocal factions in any large population and there will always be complaints.

This time, police policy placed the World Naked Bike Ride on the wrong side of the line.

It was a mistake born from caution perhaps, this being Brighton's first-ever WNBR, but the co-operation of the riders, along with the excellent operational policing on the day, made the event a success.

Perhaps next year, the Chief Supt will have the confidence to draw his line to include a fully naked, entirely legal WNBR amongst the "good events" consistent with the outlook of the non-vocal majority in Brighton and Hove who choose to live here specifically because of the city's tolerance (and who pay his wages).

-Alan Goss, Brighton