Protest leaders say they plan peaceful actions

Observers say the protesters, carrying anti-war banners and beating drums, set out early on Sunday morning from near the town of Annemasse and are heading towards Thonon, about six miles (10km) west of Evian.

French and Swiss police have mobilised to prevent anti-capitalist protests disrupting the G8 summit, and a large security cordon is being enforced around the summit venue in anticipation of the marchers.

The protests come as many world leaders, including US President George W Bush, are arriving in the town for the summit.

Disparate protesters

On Saturday French police fired tear gas at hundreds of anti-globalisation protesters who had gathered ahead of the summit in Annemasse.

More pictures of G8 protests

Eyewitnesses said the protesters were pushed back by riot police when they disrupted a meeting of French Socialist Party activists by throwing rocks at a conference centre. There were also reports of petrol bombs being thrown at a local government building, French news agency AFP said.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators have descended on the French-Swiss border close to Geneva, hoping to disrupt the summit, which they say will do little to address the needs of the world's poor.

But correspondents say the protesters are a disparate bunch of people, with differences of opinion over methods and ideology.

The socialists had to suspend their meeting, which was to discuss alternatives to globalisation.

Police drafted

Most G8 leaders are staying around Evian, but several prime ministers and presidents who are summit guests, including Chinese President Hu Jintao, are staying in Lausanne, on the Swiss side, and will travel across Lake Geneva.

France and Switzerland have spent months planning the security operation for the summit. Thousands of police from both countries have been drafted in, as well as from Germany.

They are hoping to avoid a repetition of the violence at the G8 summit in Genoa, Italy, two years ago when an Italian protester was shot dead by police.

The Group of Eight countries are the United States, Japan, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Canada and Russia.