"Welcome to Hell". That's the greeting for US President Donald Trump and other world leaders from anti-capitalist protesters in Hamburg, who have vowed to disrupt the G20 summit in the German port city.
Among the 100,000 protesters expected in the city, some 8,000 are deemed by security forces to be ready to commit violence, posing a challenge for those tasked with securing the July 7-8 summit of leaders of the world's 20 biggest economies.
There has been no significant violence at several smaller demonstrations in the city this week, including a march on Wednesday by more than 7,000 beer-drinking mainly young revellers holding placards denouncing capitalism and G20 leaders.
But a fire overnight at a Porsche car dealer in the north of the city that damaged eight vehicles could be a foretaste of what's to come. Police said they were investigating whether it was an arson attack.
"There is no concrete evidence to link the incident to the G20 summit," a police spokesman told Reuters. "But we assume this is the case."
Locals are unhappy with Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to hold the summit in the centre of Germany's second-largest city as they fear property damage by violent protesters. Their daily routines are also being disrupted by security measures.
Up to 20,000 police officers will be on duty to watch over the main demonstration, dubbed "Welcome to Hell" by the alliance of anti-capitalist groups who organised it. Protesters have said they will try to block roads in the city.
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