London: Bankari u strahu

As London braced for a day of protests centred on the summit of G20 leaders the British capital's bank workers felt particularly uncomfortable.

Many banks warned their staff to dress down amid fears they would be targetted by demonstrators.

But bank workers say they shouldn't be pilloried over the world's financial problems.

SOUNDBITE: Mark Sezanof, banker, saying (English):

"I think it's really unfounded, really. We're not all responsible directly are we? So, I think we need banking too."

SOUNDBITE: Mark Okwor, accountant, saying (English):

"People should think about what the bankers have done for the economy in the last few years. Business is people should go with the intention for things to succeed but sometimes things go wrong."

The bailout of banks with vast amounts of taxpayers' cash has put the industry centre stage under a highly critical spotlight.

Public anger over the cost and how much of the cash could have been used instead to benefit the world's poor has been fuelled by big bonus payouts to the bosses of the rescued banks.

But City Girl who writes a weekly column for a London newspaper says most bankers are ordinary people trying to earn a living.

Her voice is overdubbed by a Reuters journalist to conceal her identity.

SOUNDBITE: City Girl saying (English):

"We're just trying to do the right thing, pay the bills, not get laid off. A lot of us are hoping that the G20 demonstrations this week will be nothing but a media frenzy and nothing will come out of it that's too horrible."

The protestors represent a broad range of causes from economic and climate to nuclear disarmament to anti-war campaigners.

Some internet sites point to plans by anarchist groups including unspecified action at the G20 summit itself.

Paul Chapman, Reuters