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Once again, a combination of the media, the police forces and a rogue element of rioters succeeded in the major issues being overshadowed.

Forget Globalisation, forget Third World Debt, lets get straight to the blood and the gore. With the pictures of Carlo Giuliani the worlds media got exactly what it wanted; a body to fill those well publicised body bags. The thugs and police (is there a difference?) played their parts beautifully, in this tragic play masterminded by the tabloid press.

You can't condone the rioters and vandals, nor can you condone the police brutality - each and every individual is responsible for their actions, but would the extreme levels of destruction and violence have happened without the irresponsible media coverage?

I'm all for free speech and cannot justify any censoring of action groups or political parties, but surely the tabloid press cannot continue to get away with their sensationalist reporting, scare-mongering and incitements of violence? Should TV stations make live broadcasts?

Why have we lost the ability to express our views in a peaceful, educated way? Is it because the right to be heard has been taken away from us? I think it is. If you have strong beliefs and wish to express your viewpoint, you are immediately branded a troublemaker or an extremist. The establishment suppress you and the media exploit you. The majority of the media pay little attention to the real issues, preferring instead to concentrate on the violent clashes. This in turn helps the government, as it enables them to get away with not addressing peoples concerns.

In the end, the only way to make yourself heard is by uprising, by defying the establishment and expressing your point of view. Everyone has a right to be heard, even if Tony Blair doesn't agree with what they are saying.

Fight the Power.