The night before 30 November, I considered joining the rally in central London. I hadn't been on a protest since being arrested last year at the student protest at Millbank. I was one of the last people to enter the building that day, and I was curious: my passion for nonviolent direct action and a journalistic nose made me go in. We took the lift to the roof, I filmed and tweeted away, and after 10 minutes decided that it was probably best to leave. By then, however, the police had put the building on lockdown and started making arrests.

After several months on bail and being banned from the City of Westminster, I accepted a caution for aggravated trespass. Could I finally move on? It doesn't seem like it. Exactly a year on, I received my first letter from the Metropolitan police reminding me not to involve myself in any "criminal or antisocial behaviour". Pretty much anyone who got arrested at anti-austerity protests received one, including people who had their charges dropped – and most laughed it off.

But when I opened my post on 30 November, I glimpsed the tip of the Metropolitan police logo. My heart sank and I stuffed it back in the envelope, hoping my dad didn't see it. I ran upstairs to read it. The words were the same as the last one, but this time I found the repeated initiative to be intimidating and sinister. The letters thankfully came in plain envelopes and didn't have a logo on them – had they seen it, my parents would have been very upset. I put them through a lot while I was on bail, and they have been scared ever since. The last thing they need is a reminder of those dark times.

I have respected my parents' request and avoided going to any major protests so far, sticking to campaigning on my university grounds. I long to get back on the streets, but I'm now too scared thanks to those letters. Will I receive them every time there is an anti-cuts protest? For the rest of my life? What if my political opinions change one day? Could I ring them up and say "hey officer, no need to send me those letters any more, I think student fees are a good thing"? I wonder if the Met send letters to members of the EDL every time they rally, telling them not to cause racial aggravation or commit a crime?

How much money are they wasting on these letters? Even with a first-class stamp, they didn't make it in time to scare protesters off. What is the point? After being arrested, I am naturally more cautious. I definitely do not go out of my way to make trouble. I just want to get on with my life, and be able to protest without intimidation. I just wish I could get myself removed from this database. The crime I committed is subjective, depending on your beliefs. But I don't deserve to get these letters intimidating and scaring me from my right to protest.