Thousands Begin Protest Ahead of G20 Summit in London

As many as 15,000 protesters have already begun gathering in London for the first in a series of demonstrations to be held ahead of the G20 summit on Thursday in the nation's capital. Today, campaigners waving flags and and armed with signs braved the rainy weather to take part in the "Put People First" march, which has been organized amid the anger at the $27 million cost of arranging the conference in a time of severe economic downturn.

The "Put People First" march features an alliance of 150 groups. Included are various unions, charities, faith organizations, and environmental campaigners. The theme of the protest march is "jobs, justice and climate."

Organizers of the protest have stressed that the events will not turn violent, but nevertheless, a massive police operation has been launched as London officers warned of an "unprecedented" threat posted by the protests.

Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London, said that the event's atmosphere was "positive", noting that it would be a "tragedy" if events were to turn violent.

The G20 Summit begins this coming Thursday in London, and will be hosted by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. A number of heads of state will be present, including US President Barack Obama, and Russian President Dimitri Medvedev.

Within London, security at the headquarters of insurance companies, banks, hedge funds and other financial institutions will be tightened. Any meetings with clients will be postponed. Some organizations are closing down altogether due to the protests in the area.