PROTESTERS will be free to wear black clothes at Brisbane's G20 despite calls for them to be banned to avoid repeats of violent clashes with masked protesters at previous summits.

At Toronto's G20 Summit protesters using "black bloc" tactics trashed parts of the city, smashed shopfronts and set fire to police cars.

The tactic involved the protesters wearing black clothing and masks to conceal their identity.



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Macquarie University adjunct professor Clive Williams said police should consider banning black clothing at the last-minute before the event.

"I would say that anyone who is wearing all black will be regarded as being a member of an anarchist group," he told The Courier-Mail.

"You'd have to say that wearing all black clothing has been an indicator of violent protests in the past and therefore it's identified with violent groups like black bloc.

"Therefore anyone who is wearing all black clothing on the day will be regarded as being potentially violent demonstrators and is likely to be detained for the duration of the activity," he said.

G20 Assistant Commissioner Katarina Carroll said black clothing was not banned in legislation and police respected the right of citizens to protest lawfully.

Banned items include weapons, handcuffs, chains, glass bottles or jars, eggs, placards, animal manure, reptiles and remote-controlled devices such as toy cars.

But she said police would not tolerate unlawful behaviour that threatened safety and security at the events in Brisbane or Cairns.

"The G20 (Safety and Security) Act 2013 does not include black clothing on the prohibited items list," she said in a statement.

"There are a number of protest tactics that issue motivated groups use.

"People who breach the G20 (Safety and Security) Act 2013, and act in a violent or disruptive manner will be dealt with in an affirmative manner," she said.

When asked specifically about whether police would use the Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment anti-bikie laws to target protesters she said the G20 (Safety and Security) Act 2013 would give police all the additional powers required "alongside the existing legislation".

"Any charges preferred for offences committed during G20 will be based on the individual circumstances of the alleged offence," the statement said.