Street violence, including the fatal police shooting of an anti-globalisation demonstrator, swept aside worthy words on the opening day of the Group of Eight summit of world leaders today.
Black smoke and tear gas billowed over the Italian port of Genoa as tens of thousands of protesters vented non-stop rage at the rich countries' summit reviewing the world economy behind barriers of steel fencing and riot police.
The killing of a demonstrator at the height of the protests cast a pall over the three-day summit when it had barely begun.
It overshadowed summit issues like a pledge by the G8 leaders to donate over $1 billion to fight AIDS and a statement that the long-term economic outlook for the United States and Europe seemed good despite the current downturn.
Police said 62 people had so far been injured in the clashes with protesters - 30 from security forces, 28 demonstrators and four journalists.
Some 70 people were arrested, they said, as security forces worked to keep the protesters away from the fenced off city centre red zone where the summit was held.
In the police shooting, believed to be the first death in a series of riots over the past two years at such international gatherings, a group of demonstrators attacked a Carabinieri paramilitary police van with stones.
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Riot police in Genoa earlier today
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One protester was hit by two gunshots from the van after he threw a fire extinguisher at the vehicle, Reuters photographer said.
The demonstrator fell to the ground and then was run over by a Carabinieri jeep that backed over him.
A police spokesman confirmed one protester was dead but refused to give details.
The demonstrator was shot in Piazza Alimonda, about two km (1.2 miles) from the summit site in a Renaissance palace.
The British prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair lamented how the world leaders had become trapped by the protests - kept indoors because of the violennt demonstrations.
Canadian Prime Minister Mr Jean Chretien, host of next year's summit, said the group would not be deterred from meeting because of the violence. But he said he had yet to where to hold next year's meeting.