Naked demonstrators in anti-capitalist protest

THREE women protesters lay naked on a home-made Stars and Stripes flag in front of the US Consulate in Sydney yesterday while others burned two American flags, hours before representatives of 25 nations were to discuss how to liberalise world trade.

Scuffles with police broke out after more than 1,000 demonstrators defied a ban on protests in the streets of Australia's most populous city, which is hosting a meeting by rich and poor members of the World Trade Organisation and wraps up tomorrow.

They blocked intersections and chanted slogans against globalisation and a possible war with Iraq.