Anti G20 protesters wrought chaos ahead of Trump-Putin power meet

Far-left protesters wrought chaos in Hamburg today ahead of US President Donald Trump's first face-to-face talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin at a G20 summit facing divisions among western nations and tensions over North Korea.

US First Lady Melania Trump was blocked at her residence as demonstrators torched cars, smashed shop windows, fired flares at police helicopters and even slashed tyres on vehicles belonging to the Canadian delegation.

The violence forced Hamburg police to call in reinforcements from other German states, and G20 organisers to drastically curtail an official programme for spouses of visiting dignitaries. 

"The Hamburg police could not give us



clearance to leave," said the first lady's spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, explaining why she had been forced to miss a cruise tour.

Tension and uncertainties were also running high within the heavily-guarded conference hall, where the leaders of the world's biggest economies struggled with a rift between Trump's US and its European allies over climate change and trade.

Trump and Putin, meeting for the first time, shook hands on arrival a couple of hours ahead of keenly-awaited bilateral talks freighted with planetary consequences.

"I look forward to all meetings today with world leaders, including my meeting with Vladimir Putin. Much to discuss," Trump wrote on Twitter.