A picture of a woman jumping from a burning building has a compelling power. An interview with an unrepentant mother who "did not know" that her 13-year-old son was out armed with a hammer has a visceral impact. Many years ago, as a science student, I was taught that entropy - disorder - is very much easier to increase than decrease. So it's easier to break a window than to make one. And it takes very few people to do a great deal of visible damage, which provides a clear focus for media coverage.
All that leads me to reflect on what really happened - not the causes (they are being analysed to death) but the extent of engagement in lawlessness.
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