Danish police are mounting one of their biggest security operations ever for US President George Bush's visit to Copenhagen this week amid fears of angry protests over the US-led war in Iraq, Ritzau news bureau reported on Monday.

Some 50 activist organizations have announced large anti-Bush demonstrations in central areas of Copenhagen during the US leader 's two-day visit on July 5-6 on his way to a summit of Group of Eight leaders in Britain, and police have vowed to adopt a hard line against unruly protestors.

A massive anti-Bush demonstration is scheduled for Wednesday in the capital when 20,000 activists from leftist, trade union, youth and Muslim protest groups are to assemble in a main square and march to the Christiania hippie settlement for anti-Bush festivities.

"We are unable to divulge what our strategy is, but I can tell you that we are cooperating closely with the military, the Danish and American secret services and visiting US security experts," Copenhagen police chief Per Larsen said.

He would not reveal how many police would patrol the city, but an undisclosed number have had their summer holidays canceled due to the visit.

Bush's visit, the fifth meeting between himself and Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen since 2002, is seen by commentators as a largely symbolic gesture to thank Denmark for its support in the war in Iraq.

NATO-member Denmark is a steadfast US ally in the war in Iraq, and the Scandinavian country has 500 troops stationed near Basra, in southern Iraq, under British command.

Source: Xinhua