The street is flooded with people as they run down the street. Police wearing helmets and holding shields chase them down the street knocking them to the ground. A policeman grabs a woman by the neck then looking up and seeing the camera removes his hand. Another policeman is repeatedly beating a prostrate body on the ground with a baton. "The only plan seemed to be to cause chaos", says one protestor, who watched people being beaten indiscriminately.

What was most shocking for the protesters is the speed with which a peaceful protest turned ugly. "How did this happen? We were dancing in the avenue ten minutes ago". Especially as the police attacks were prefaced with no warnings, "I didn't hear any warning from the police".

According to the police, the reaction was necessitated by the extreme violence of the protesters, "I think it is shocking that the police should have to put up with such hooligan behaviour". Yet that take is strongly rebuked by the protesters, who support it with footage of police brutality they say sparked the rioting. "He was stripped naked with the force with which he was dragged away". A man is brutally beaten by the police as they attempt to arrest him. "If I'm generous I'd say its badly organised, if I'm realistic it is bloody confrontational".

So in the words of a protester, "Why was a peaceful march disrupted?" Many believe that lying behind what looks like gross mismanagement is something much more sinister. "In whose interest is it for demonstrations to end in violence?"

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