Security tight at European summit

Security will be tight today after a mass protest outside the European summit yesterday.

Riot police fought running battles with rock-throwing anti-capitalist demonstrators, firing rubber bullets.

Leaders of the 28 European nations, including Bertie Ahern, are meeting in a compound outside the city.

Police say 24 people were arrested in confrontations throughout the day for public disorder and resisting authority, including six Basque nationalists who overturned a car.

No major injuries were reported.

Organisers estimate between 20,000 to 50,000 demonstrators are swarming into this port city from around Europe and Spain - especially the violence-scarred Basque region - to protest European Union leaders' plans to liberalise energy and financial markets.