CONTROVERSY erupted this week when an 11-year-old girl was photographed in a ute, watching as protesters who had chained themselves to the vehicle were cut free by police and arrested.

This scene and the reported presence of children as young as three at the Glenugie anti-CSG protest site, ignited debate over whether or not a blockade was a suitable spectacle for kids.

Yesterday at The Avenue, parents denied they were jeopardising the safety of their children by bringing them to protests.

Lismore dad Sean O'Shannessy took his children aged between eight and 13 to the protest yesterday.

He said it was important for his children to see the dangers CSG mining posed to the environment.

"I visited the site prior to bringing my kids. I've not seen anything which poses a threat to any of the children here at the protest."

As a parent, Mr O'Shannessy said he would never put his children in a dangerous situation.

His son Riley, 13, confirmed he felt safe at the CSG protest.

This week, residents turned to The Daily Examiner's Facebook page to post their concerns, with one user suggesting it wasn't safe for children to be surrounded by protesters when they chained themselves to vehicles and trees.

Elizabeth Rose, counsellor at the Grafton GP Super Clinic, said children under the age of 10 did not have the cognitive ability to understand what was happening at a protest.

"A protest isn't the right place to take a child," she said.

"Anything could happen and a protest can easily turn violent."

Glenugie resident Nick Young said safety precautions had been put in place at the protest and the children felt safe with their parents.