There is a letter in the latest edition of a magazine issued to London police pensioners that describes the

experience of the correspondent and a colleague at the time of the Brixton riots when "Two days  after we

had been bombarded with bricks, and anything else the rioters could lay their hands on", they were back on

patrol in Brixton market when they were approached by a young black lad who was crying because he had

lost his mum.  Without further ado, his colleague hoisted the child on his shoulders and they set off in

search of the mother in the crowd.  She was in tears and ran up to them.  The boy was handed back to her

and she could not stop crying and saying how sorry she was about the way people had been behaving.

The two officers were clapped by bystanders for looking after the boy.  Sadly, there is rarely if ever the 

same sort of positive human story to be found in the media; certainly not nowadays.

But there is a lesson here and that includes the fact that every action obtains a reaction.  Something to 

bear in mind when tempted to rush to judgement.about media images and what has led to their occurrence.