Police meet Climate Camp planners

The Met was criticised after its handling of the G20 protests in London

A series of talks between green activists and the Metropolitan Police have been held ahead of a mass gathering in London.

The Metropolitan Police (Met) said it hopes the meetings will create a "better dialogue" with protesters.

The moves are part of an overhaul of tactics following police handling of the G20 demonstrations in the City.

Thousands of protestors are expected to attend a camp in London, but the location remains a mystery.

Organisers from Climate Camp plan to create a summer festival atmosphere with wind turbines, vegetarian canteens, organic toilets and a radio studio powered by solar panels.

Community-style policing

Senior officers have told camp representatives that they will be met with a "community-style" policing operation.

"The Met has had a number of meetings with representatives from the Camp for Climate Action to build a better dialogue between us," said a Met spokesman.

The location is a secret and it could be anywhere within the M25

Robbie Gillett, Climate Camp spokesman

"We hope that through this dialogue we will be able to deliver a proportionate policing response to the camp."

Robbie Gillett, a member of Plane Stupid, who is working as a spokesman for the climate camp, said: "The location is a secret and it could be anywhere within the M25 on a green or brownfield site.

"There has obviously got to be a 'campable' surface."

"We have made suggestions of what not to bring, knives for example, and we are advising campers to use their common sense."

The Met was roundly criticised for the handling of the G20 protests in April.

The demonstrations were marred by the death of newspaper vendor Ian Tomlinson.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is now considering whether any criminal charges should be brought.

But the Met said the controversial practice of penning people in for long periods, known as kettling, remained an option.