Police today shut off public access to the Baltic Sea resort of Heiligendamm, the venue for next week’s Group of Eight summit in Germany.
Authorities have built a seven-mile fence around Heiligendamm at a cost of £8.5million.
Police closed off public access to the resort at about 7am (0600BST), said spokesman Manfred Luetjann. Only residents, police and others with business involving the June 6-8 summit will be allowed through the two checkpoints in the 8ft metal and concrete fence.
The closure also affects a local railway line and a road through the resort, while boats are banned from the area immediately offshore.
Police have ordered a ban on demonstrations within 200 yards outside the fence from today through June 8. However, a regional court last week struck down a planned extension of that zone to a depth of several miles during the summit.
Germany is determined to avoid a repeat of violence that has marred previous G8 summits, notably in Genoa, Italy in 2001. However, anti-globalization activists have complained that the security measures are excessive.
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