8 arrested as 1,500 stage rallies in Tokyo against G-8 summit

Eight people were arrested Sunday as about 1,500 people staged rallies in two major shopping and business areas of Tokyo to protest against the July 7-9 Group of Eight summit in Hokkaido, police said.
The arrests were made during a rally near JR Shibuya Station where about 1,000 activists and others gathered, chanting slogans including ''Smash the summit,'' the police said.
Some of the protesters clashed with riot police and were arrested for obstructing the officers in the performance of their duty, the police said.