Sunday, December 18 2005 16:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hong Kong: With anti-globalization protests touching their peak on the last day of the sixth WTO Ministerial here today (Dec 18, 2005), the Hong Kong administration has made unprecedented security arrangements to prevent activists from entering the main conference venue a day after the demonstrators turned violent.

Heavily armed riot police were deployed in huge numbers to prevent a repeat of yesterday's violent protests as anti-globalization activists gathered outside the conference hall where trade ministers from 149 countries are busy giving final touches to the Ministerial declaration.

Anti-WTO radical farmers from South Korea, the Philipines, Thailand and other developing countries formed groups and marched towards the conference venue early today.

But the police have barricaded the whole locality of Wanchai, where the convention center is located, and removed hundreds of protestors from Hong Kong's busiest street.

Vehicles are being prevented from entering the nearby roads, forcing delegates and journalists to walk kilometres to reach the venue.

Shopkeepers have been asked to keep their shops shut and residents told to stay indoors in apprehensions of protests turning violent again.

Police are also patrolling the Hong Kong harbor in about 25 boats and many helicopters on apprehensions that some protestors might attempt to enter the venue from that side.

Yesterday, the protest march of farmers' organizations, which have been holding demonstrations during the last six days, had turned violent.

South Korean farmers stormed into the armed police line, forcing the cops to use tear gas, batons and water cannons on the protestors.

About 100 people were reportedly injured, including at least 20 policemen. As many as 900 protestors were also detained yesterday.