Many thanks to Superintendent Kevin Moore for clarifying the position regarding the anti-EDO activists.

So Sussex Police were presumably taken away from other duties such as hunting terrorists, arresting shoplifters and looking for stolen handbags and all their efforts were concentrated on stopping a demo going down North Street because the organisers didn't tell the police of their intentions.

Real criminals were forgotten about because Sussex Police were following activists around Brighton and filming them after the demo ended.

Why were there so many police outside the Cowley Club as well?

Judging by the number, anyone would have been forgiven for thinking Osama Bin Laden was in hiding there.

Superintendent Moore seems to think it is far better to spend taxpayers' hard-earned money to make a point rather than going for the cheaper (and quicker) option of letting the demonstration go ahead.

I don't suppose EDO could contribute towards the cost of the police bill, could it?

-Colin Elcome, Cardiff