BRIGHTON and Hove was in chaos for much of yesterday as thousands of anti-war campaigners brought the city to a halt.

They were simply expressing their democratic right in a way that would be impossible in Iraq under a tyrant such as Saddam Hussein.

Most of the people taking part were genuine in their desire to demonstrate peacefully in the cause of peace.

But there was a more sinister side to the protest exemplified by the slashing of a flag in the American Express building.

A number of the demonstrators were violent and some managed to damage property such as the Clock Tower.

There can be no place for this kind of activity and police should lose no time in trying to apprehend those responsible.

They took a generally more gentle line against the peaceful majority who knew only too well it takes just a sit down or two and almost continuous marches to stop a congested city such as Brighton and Hove.

Now they have made their point in the city, demonstrators should not cause widespread disruption again.

Most of the people whose lives they made a misery by being stuck in buses for hours or unable to do their work were ordinary folk and none had anything to do with the war.

That's a matter for Tony Blair and the Government and it's to them the protests should be directed.