Readers of The Grocer have condemned Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott for his swift punch at an egg-throwing protester, saying his actions will encourage violence in their communities. A straw poll taken last week showed that a large majority believe Prescott should have shown restraint when he was attacked as he canvassed in Rhyl, North Wales, last week All of those questioned, however, could understand the minister's frustration as retailers believe they are left vulnerable to criminals because the country's police forces are undermanned. Labour, they say has been soft on crime and left the police seriously short of manpower. As a result retailers have found that uniformed officers are reluctant to come to their aid for anything other than violent crime. Most readers questioned did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, but many said they kept weapons such as baseball bats, hammers, screwdrivers and chains under the counter for emergencies. A reader from Liverpool echoed many when he said Prescott had sent out the wrong message by his actions, which would encourage the thugs and signal that taking the law into your own hands was acceptable "I am trading in a tough area and the police are trying their best to control crime, which I have to say is already out of hand. "I tell my staff not to put themselves at risk and I would only use violence as a last resort to protect myself," he said. "I am sure that if the government conducted a survey among small shopkeepers it would realise our businesses are at risk from drug takers, drunks and anyone who feels like stealing." Les Gwynne, a Costcutter retailer in Talgarth, Wales, said his staff were under instruction not to retaliate if they were threatened. He added that, although there had been no serious violence, people are becoming more volatile. "And we suffer from on-going theft, but the police don't want to know. The government is soft on crime and has little or no understanding of small businesses." Tom Williams, a Mace retailer from Hook Norton, near Banbury, Oxfordshire, agreed: "Violence leads to violence. The government has turned its back on crime and Prescott's action will be a signal for people to take the law into their own hands. "Magistrates in our area are sympathetic towards us, but the police are up against it and the time and effort it takes to prosecute a thief makes us reluctant to do so. We prefer to ban thieves from the shop or, in the case of youngsters, talk to their parents. "The police have their hands tied. We are in this on our own but, if we are tough on the criminals, we are often faced with retribution. It's a no-win situation." {{GROCER CLUB }}