Strasbourg armors up for NATO summit

STRASBOURG, France, April 2 (UPI) -- Authorities in France are turning Strasbourg, co-host to NATO's 60th-anniversary summit Friday and Saturday, into a high-security fortress.

Narrow cobblestone alleys, lined with cozy bars selling tarte flambees -- a French pizza -- and white wines grown in Alsace vineyards, meander through downtown Strasbourg, a picturesque city of 280,000 that sits right at the border with Germany.

But people will hardly reach Strasbourg's historic city center starting Friday, when leaders from 28 NATO member states, including U.S. President Barack Obama, arrive in the city for a high-profile anniversary summit.

Strasbourg has closed its universities and 13 schools; inner-city bus and tram schedules won't run; manholes have been sealed and parking meters removed -- all in a bid to limit the dangers of a terrorist attack.

At least 11,000 police are in the city to protect leaders from the anti-NATO activists expected to flock into the city to stage several protest marches.

When it comes to the number of protesters expected, French official estimates vary between 30,000 and 60,000. France and Germany say as many as 3,000 of them are ready to use violence.

France has manned an impressive force itself -- of the police, some 4,500 belong to a special unit that is experienced in dealing with strikes.

It has also temporarily reinstated border controls with Germany in an effort to prevent some of the individually known rowdies from spilling into France.

A camp has been set up near Strasbourg to house peaceful anti-NATO activists, but many of them are angered by what they say are repressive tactics used by French authorities.

Police had demanded that Strasbourg's citizens remove any anti-NATO flags hanging from their balconies, a move that had no official backing and was immediately criticized by Strasbourg Mayor Roland Ries.

So far, demonstrations have been peaceful, but the largest of them are due to take place Friday and Saturday.

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Stefan Nicola, UPI Europe Correspondent

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(snicola@upi.com)