Just heard from my brother living down in Sydney. He was out at Maquarie Fields the other day getting photos for the paper he works for.
With all the pandemonium of the riots going on he was one of only two photographers out there, when a big local bloke came up behind him and tried to grab his work camera out of his hands. My brother tried to hold on to the strap while the bloke attempted to wrestle it out of his grip. He realised that the camera wasn't worth being beaten up over so he let it go. It was insured after all.
What annoys me is that the bloke didn't grab it to smash it on the ground, which would have somewhat justified an anti-media stance, instead he took off with a $20,000 camera to sell. Seems more like a crime of opportunity brought on by an exercise in anarchy.
Perhaps I'm wrong, and my fortunate upbringing and a relativly comfortable life (provided by parents who know what it is like to have nothing) pollutes my point of view, but actions such as these don't add any validity to the cause these people are apparently fighting for.
For a bit of background:
http://smh.com.au/articles/2005/03/05/1109958136686.html
http://smh.com.au/articles/2005/03/05/1109958151155.html