Turin, Italy - Dozens of anti-globalization protestors hurled eggs at police in scuffles Monday in the northwestern Italian city of Turin.

The demonstration was organized by students opposing a gathering of university officials from the Group of Eight (G8) most industrialised nations whose presidency Italy currently holds.

Police in riot gear charged protestors after several rubbish bins

were overturned and set alight. Four people were taken into custody, news reports said.

Protestors also occupied streets around the industrial city's main railway station, Porta Nuova, trading insults with angry motorists. By mid-morning shops in the area had remained shuttered.

Monday's clashes are likely to raise concerns around security for the main G8 summit which Italy is scheduled to host on July 8-10.

The Italian government initially chose as the summit venue an island off Sardinia, hoping that its remote location would deter protestors who in the past have marred G8 gatherings.

However, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has since opted to hold the summit in the central city of L'Aquila, a move aimed at attracting funds to the area which was devastated by an earthquake in April.

In 2001 in Genoa, when Italy last hosted a G8 summit, thousands of demonstrators and police battled in the city's streets with scores injured and one person, 23-year-old protestor, shot dead.(dpa)