It was a privilege to be among the estimated 300,000 protesters in Genoa last month.

The slogan was 'Another world is possible'. A world owned by people, not multi-national companies, and living in decency not poverty.

There were three days of protests started with a magnificent 60,000-strong protest to defend refugees and finishing with Saturday's march organised by Drop the Debt.

While in Genoa on the second day, I had my first experience of being tear-gassed. This was at an afternoon pacifist rally. The police could see there was no violence but because a few anarchists ran into the square they attacked all of us. This was just the start and culminated in the unnecessary shooting dead of a protester followed by attacking sleeping activists to destroy the camera and computer evidence of police brutality.

To be part of the largest worldwide protest in history is very exciting. There has never been a better opportunity for generating change that is progressive and democratic in the whole of the last 50 years.

Joel Hirsch

Arden Grange, North Finchley