Britain's biggest ever policing operation has been launched as protesters threaten two days of chaos and disruption in London to mark the G20 summit.
Up to 2,000 demonstrators are expected to bring the City to a halt in "unprecedented" protests to coincide with the arrival of world leaders, and there are fears of mass riots breaking out at flashpoints across the Square Mile.
A "meltdown" map of 136 potential targets in the City includes merchant and high street banks, auditors, law firms, energy firms, financial associations, arms traders and commerce groups.
The Metropolitan Police has said that around 3,000 officers will be deployed on the streets, but if riots erupt the figures could swell to double that figure. It has warned that anarchists from the 1990 Poll Tax riots have been lured out of retirement by the prospect of violent clashes.
Taser stun guns may be deployed for the first time in the UK during riots as firearms units, armed with the 50,000 volt weapons, are on standby in riot vans.
An "Alternative G20 Summit" - an academic forum for debate at the University of East London - has been cancelled due to fears of rioting. Speakers including Tony Benn, film director Ken Loach, former mayor Ken Livingstone and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas were supposed to take part.
More than 80 protest groups - including Climate Camp, Stop the War and Plane Stupid - are coming together under one umbrella group, called G20 Meltdown.
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