After weeks of careful planning, hundreds of people took to the streets of Brighton last night to protest against war in Iraq.

Despite a number of arrests, the vast majority of people simply wanted to have their say on an issue which is causing heated debate across the country.

There have been claims that officers were heavy-handed by using batons and pepper spray on a number of protesters.

Whoever is found to be responsible for the trouble, this controversy should not detract from the message at the heart of the protest.

Most people watched in stunned disbelief as the Twin Towers in New York were destroyed by hijacked planes on September 11.

The pain and sorrow caused by that shocking day will remain for many years.

But that act of barbarism should not be used to justify what many people believe would be an unjust act of war against Iraq.

The fact so many people in Brighton alone were willing to take to the streets shows the strength of public opinion and that cannot be ignored by the politicians.

Yes, Saddam Hussein remains a dangerous thorn in the side of the world but who will suffer if the bombs start to drop? Ordinary men, women and children, as they did after the last Middle East conflict.

While the acts of terrorists in New York and Washington can never be justified, there are those who believe the US and its allies would be no better if war was declared and more innocent lives were lost.