The G20 summit this week is likely to provoke mass demonstrations in the City - and bankers have been warned that they will be targeted.
Workers in the City have been told by police to take a series of extraordinary measures to protect themselves for what is anticipated to be a wave of popular fury this week.
A joint statement from the City of London Police, the Metropolitan Police and City of London Corporation warned bankers that their personal safety could be at risk due to this week's G20 protests. A range of anti-capitalist groups are planning to protest in the Square Mile ahead of Thursday's meeting, due to what they see as banks' culpability in the credit crunch and sharp economic downturn.
Three separate "Financial Fools" demonstrations are planned for April 1st ahead of the G20 summit meeting the following day, as is a special evening "climate camp" centred around the European Climate Exchange. The police promised that a "very experienced" team would help to keep the peace, but said that bank bosses could take precautions to ensure their own safety.
These include staggering arrival and departure times of staff, cancelling deliveries, checking that all CCTV on the premises is working and advising staff "not to antagonise protestors", in order to ensure that "escalation in incidents" is not risked.
"The police are monitoring all information relating to planned protests and advertised actions," the statement added. "We will have officers deployed at key locations plus a large number in reserve that can respond to deal with whatever takes place."
Former RBS chief Sir Fred Goodwin, who stood down last year after the bank was forced into taking a £20 billion government bailout, had the windows of his Edinburgh home smashed in a night-time attack earlier this month. A vigilante group called Bank Bosses Are Criminals subsequently claimed responsibility for the incident.
