Threat of violence at Labour conference

Hardline anarchists are planning violent protests at Labour's annual conference in Brighton this month in protest at the Government's stance on privatisation and the US Star Wars defence system.

Radical groups have rejected attempts by Globalise Resistance, the UK's biggest anti-capitalist organisation, to organise a peaceful protest on the conference's first day on Sunday 30 September.

Hardliners, including Ya Basta! and the Wombles protest group, plan to breach security atBrighton hotels by blockading entrances and forcing confrontations with police.

Security has been tightend following rioting and the death of a protester at the anti-globalisation protests at July's G8 summit in Genoa

The split among anti-capitalist groups deepened after Globalise Resistance, which is linked to the Socialist Workers party, negotiated with police to stage a non-violent march and protests.

Globalise Resistance spoke- sman Guy Taylor said more than 10,000 protesters were expected at the rallies, organised by with the Green Party and Socialist Alliance. Support for the protests has grown since it emerged McDonald's, the hamburger chain, is spending £15,000 on a reception attended by Tony Blair at the conference.

Mr Taylor, who says Globalise Resistance is trying to build links with the Labour Party and unions, adds: "There's a lot of opposition within the Labour Party to what the Government is doing on the US Star Wars programme and privatisation. We want the spotlight to be on the crimes of new Labour."