Pittsburgh police arrested at least 14 protestors yesterday as security was ramped up dramatically on the eve of the G20 summit.
Most of those detained were activists from Greenpeace, caught as they abseiled from one of Pittsburgh's iconic river bridges to deploy a banner reading: 'Danger. Climate destruction ahead.'
Pittsburgh police headquarters said the demonstrators had been arrested at the scene on suspicion of 'possession of instruments of a crime, disorderly conduct, conspiracy and obstruction.'
The leaders of the world's 19 biggest national economies plus the EU have begun to arrive in Pittsburgh for two days of talks on the economic crisis and climate change.
Ahead of their arrival, Pittsburgh has beefed up security with thousands of extra police officers.
Three secure areas in the heart of the city near the conference venue have been designated as official protest zones, but access to the summit sites itself will be strictly controlled.
Several groups have announced plans to hold what they say will be peaceful protests in Pittsburgh, including Greenpeace, which wants leaders to commit tens of billions of dollars to encouraging third world emission cuts.
Pittsburgh's 29-year-old mayor Luke Ravenstahl has said protestors will be allowed to exercise their constitutional freedom of speech and assembly 'within sight and sound' of the summit venue.
The mayor has also called in 4,000 federal police officers to back up local security forces during the summit.
