Summit of all fears

Watching the protests as they unfold on BBC News coverage throughout the day, a day in which I was told to work from home to avoid any potential threat, I can't help but feel a strange mix of emotions.

It's unfortunate that the G20 summit has, due to the nature of recent events, had to focus on the financial climate rather than the environmental one, which is, after all, still the greatest threat to our current way of life.

I never know how I feel about these mass protests. I always stand by people's right to protest and it's essential the masses are allowed to voice their opinion. Indeed, the spirit of revolution still flickers in a small, dark corner of my soul.

I was inspired by the international protests of hundreds of thousands who marched against, what was then, the proposed war in Iraq. It was fantastic to see so many unite in their desire to avoid an unjust war or, at the very least, a war being spun to us on unjust motives.

It didn't work of course as history will attest and many argue these demonstrations never achieve the desired outcome. Well this may be true but as R.P. McMurphy said in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest', "At least I tried Goddamit, at least I did that much."

If the current protest passes peacefully with a sense of carnival it will be a joyous day of revelry but, of course, there will be those who have alterior motives which can never be justified.

When you see individual protesters interviewed on the streets, they are almost uniformly unable to articulate their reasons for taking part in the protest at all. They are far more intent on taking their rage out on the police, the banks and the establishment in the wider, more general sense - evidenced perhaps by the everyday City worker being advised to dress down for fear of being targetted.

If there is so much as a mere skuffle today it will ironically blunt the impact of the message. The media, salivating for a dramatic story to tell, will highlight any clashes and thus undermine the validity of the protests.

Despite my misgivings, I envy them all. Cosy as I am in my upper working class/lower middle-class bubble, I've too much to lose from partaking in the glorious rebellion being shown - In a way, I regret that.

However, does all this detract from the actual issue? The fact is we are relying, as a global community, on the progress of the G20 summit tomorrow. We need more transparency in banking procedures, we need high risk lending to be regulated more fully, all with the ultimate aim of avoiding a repeat of the current problems in years to come.

This is the real story and discussions taking place between world leaders should be hogging the limelight. I fear it'll be a smashed window at a branch of RBS with the column inches instead.