Capital ready for trouble.

MAY Day demonstrators gathered in London today amid fears that a hard core were planning violent protests.

Up to 10,000 anticapitalist demonstrators were expected, with Mayfair, one of the capital's wealthiest areas, among their targets.

The London protest, which has descended into violence in recent years, was one of many similar events around the globe.

May Day protesters in Sydney seeking rights for asylum seekers today clashed with riot police, resulting in dozens of arrests.

Police in France were braced for massive May Day demonstrations for and against far-right presidential candidate JeanMarie Le Pen were fears that the two sides may clash in Paris.

Police in London feared a hard core of up to 400 people intent on violence will adopt ``guerrilla tactics'', spreading out across the capital to stretch police resources and create numerous potential flashpoints.

Some traders in central London were taking no chances, boarding up windows and removing stock ahead of the action.

CAPTION(S):

POLICE ACTION: A mounted officer in Sydney, Australia, is thrown from his horse during an asylum rights demo