Police in Hamburg have tightened security in the city as two-day G20 Summit begins at Hamburg Messe on Friday. 

Special forces, regular officers, armored vehicles and cannon trucks have all been deployed, stationed to guard against riots before and during the gathering of world leaders.

According to Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, some 20,000 police officers will be deployed in the port city with reinforcements due to arrive from other German regions and elsewhere in Europe.

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German authorities expect more than 100,000 anti-capitalist demonstrators, including several thousand left wing extremists, to descend on Hamburg ahead of the two-day summit. 

De Maiziere cautioned, “Peaceful protest is welcome and allowed in our democracy. Violent protest, however, cannot invoke the basic right of freedom to assemble as written in our constitution and will be prevented.”

Hamburg senior police officer Jan Hieber warned that only a small proportion of weapons stockpiled for use in disturbances had been found. 

Police said items confiscated included batons, bottles presumed to be filled with flammable liquid, containers with unknown powder or chemicals and gas masks.

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The potential for terror attacks is another headache for police, following a series of incidents in Europe in recent months. 

On Sunday, German authorities announced they had evidence a 30-year-old resident of Rostock, a city on the northern coast, was plotting “significant crimes” in connection with the upcoming G20 summit. 

Police said they found an “enormous” stash of weapons at the suspect’s home.