A lot of people are very angry about the issues

'Michael Bakunin', S26 Collective

Working to unite the groups is the umbrella group Initiative Against Economic Globalisation (Inpeg). Its supporters prepared for Prague at a four-day camp on a village farm, about 30 minutes drive from the capital.

Activists were trained in demonstration management, making human chains, first aid, tree climbing, street theatre and communicating with the media.

Inpeg describes itself as "a loose coalition of various Czech environmental, human rights and autonomist/anarchist groups, organisations and individuals who are ready to stand up critically against the summit of the world financial oligarchy."

Delays at the border

Spokeswoman Alice Dvorska said the group expected between 15,000 and 20,000 protesters to take to the streets, depending on how many were allowed into the country.

The demonstrators are against multinationals

At border crossings in the run-up to the IMF/World Bank meeting, police were checking cars for weapons, ammunition and explosives, and there were long delays reported at airports and on the railways.

Ms Dvorska said Inpeg, the main organisers of the protests, knew of several people who had been turned back at the border and had tried to help them liaise with the authorities.

Among those temporarily refused entry were four professional chefs who were on their way to Prague to cook for the protesters.

The call to action on Inpeg's campaign website said the demonstrations were aimed at exposing how the IMF, World Bank, and World Trade Organisation "work to maximise private profits and limit the power of people to protect the environment, determine their economic destiny, and safeguard their human rights

"We will be demanding an immediate suspension of these practices leading to environmental destruction, growing social inequality and poverty and the curtailing of people's rights."

'Day of action'

The group, which was set up in Prague last summer, planned 10 days of non-violent demonstrations in the city. It included a counter-summit, which addressed issues such as debt, trade union movements and globalisation.

But the main day was always planned for 26 September, known to protest groups as S26 or the "Global Day of Action". Organisers said they were planning a carnival atmosphere on the day, with samba music and other street performances.

One group which mobilised on the internet was the S26 Collective, which was set up a few months ago. It is supported by action groups across Europe, including Milan-based Ya Basta! and the French anti-capitalist group Reseau sans Titre (Network without Title), which plans to continue a caravan tour of France after the summit.

The S26 Collective says it condemns all forms of violence but one London-based organiser speaking before the protests said the demonstrators had prepared for violence from the police.

"Our aim is to stop delegates getting to meetings through peaceful mass disobedience," said the organiser, who uses the pseudonym Michael Bakunin. "We expect about 20,000 to 30,000 people on the streets of Prague so it's the overwhelming aspect of it that we intend to use."

He said the media often distorted the truth to build a dramatic picture of protesters, when all protesters wanted was to show their views peacefully.

"We're going there because we're concerned about the issues," he said. "A lot of people are very angry about the issues.

"We're going there non-violently and we'll be as non-violent as possible - it depends on the reaction of the police and the Czech state."