G8 resumes in shadow of death

There was consternation and grief at the death

The world richest nations are continuing their summit in the Italian city of Genoa, with tens of thousands of anti-globalisation protesters preparing to take to the streets again.


The death is tragic and the injuries to the protesters and to the police officers are highly regrettable


Spokesman for US President Bush
The first day of the G8 summit on Friday saw violent protests during which one demonstrator was shot dead by police.

Italian Interior Minister Claudio Scajola said the man, identified as 23-year-old Carlo Giuliani, was shot dead, presumably in self-defence, by an injured police officer.


Click here to see a map of Friday's protests

World leaders attending the summit deplored the death as tragic, but stressed the important of the political projects under discussion.



The young man was shot by an injured police officer

"It is important that the actual things we are trying to do here, the initiatives we are taking, should get as much publicity as what demonstrators are prepared to do in order to get TV pictures," said British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

He urged people to remember that it was the leaders, not the protestors, who had been democratically elected.


The BBC's Barney Mason says the death has darkened the mood of the summit and has reawoken questions about whether such meetings can go on being held inside a virtual fortress amid serious violence.