More than 1,000 people have signed a petition raising concerns about housing of known sex offenders in Highland towns.
The online campaign attracted had more than 1,250 signatures last night, having been set up just 24 hours earlier.
It followed a “peaceful protest” in Aviemore at the weekend, which forced convicted rapist John Locke to leave his new home in Sluggan Drive.
Mr Locke, who was recently released from prison, was given a police escort from his home on Sunday evening after around 70 residents of the town gathered on the street outside the house.
The petition, which originated in Ross-shire, argues that offenders should not be re-homed in busy towns.
It was set up by a resident of Dingwall, urging local councillor Margaret Paterson, who has a community safety brief, to consider the issue, and has received support from across the north.
Last night Councillor Paterson appealed for calm, but said she understood public concerns.
She said: “There is always a concern, it’s the fear of the unknown.
“People have every right to set up a petition to raise their concerns.
“In an ideal world obviously we wouldn’t have to worry about these kind of things but people have to live somewhere, whoever they are.”
Mr Locke, originally from Inverness, was jailed in 1998 for the rape of a 15-year-old girl in the city and has two previous convictions for rapes in the central belt in 1983 and 1988.
Neighbours became aware of his identity after he was dropped off at his Aviemore address on home visits in a prison van.
A police spokesman said: “Protecting the public is a top priority for Police Scotland. In Scotland, we have a multi-agency approach under the multi-agency public protection arrangements (Mappa) which provides a comprehensive response to a complex issue, using professional assessment and management to properly target resources at those who pose a risk to the public.
“Police Scotland works in partnership with a number of agencies through MAPPA to ensure all registered sex offenders are robustly managed within the community.
“While we can never eliminate risk entirely, we want to reassure communities that all reasonable steps are being taken to protect them.”