Anti-capitalist protesters clashed with riot police near the new headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt yesterday and set fire to barricades and cars, coinciding with the ceremonial opening of the €1bn skyscraper.

IN his 1974 novel, Take the War to Washington, Peter Van Greenaway deals with the Vietnam War, envisaging disaffected veterans literally bringing the conflict — with all its horrors — to the centre of power in the US.