Thurmont Alert As World Leaders Arrive At Camp David For G-8 Summit

THURMONT, Md. (WJZ)-- Some of the world's most powerful leaders are in Western Maryland for the G-8 Summit. The meeting at Camp David in Frederick County will focus on the world's debt crisis and the war in Afghanistan.

Mary Bubala has more on the arrival of the leaders and the very tight security in place.

Many of the G-8 leaders first flew into Dulles Airport and then made their way to Camp David aboard Chinook helicopters. None of leaders is taking any of the roads in and out. There were a few protesters who tried to get their attention.

The most powerful leaders of the world are in one of the most secure and secluded places on earth-- Camp David. Roads leading into the presidential retreat are now shut down and 11,000 acres of state and national parks are on lockdown. A no-fly zone with a 30 mile radius over Western Maryland is in place with fighter jets ready to respond to any threat.

In the past, G-8 summits have seen violent clashes in the streets, but not at this one.

Because they can't occupy Camp David, protesters were supposed to occupy the small town of Thurmont, but so far, not many have shown up.

Bubala: "What is your message to the G-8 leaders who are in the mountain above you here?"
Beth Emmerling of Occupy Baltimore: "We would love for them to show some compassion in every decision that they make today and take into consideration the faces of humanity."

Instead of camping out in rural Maryland, busloads of protesters are arriving in Chicago for the NATO Summit which will draw the G-8 leaders starting Sunday.

The G-8 represents the most powerful economies in the world-- the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada-- and are the elite leaders here.

That's leading protesters, even in small numbers, to the site of the summit.

"We're not going to violate anybody's First Amendment rights and I hope they don't violate our right to preserve peace and order," Greg Eyler, the chief of the Thurmont Police Department, said.

The town of Thurmont has special security measures in place but so far, they have not had to activate them. Thurmont and Frederick canceled their schools on Friday as a precaution. The authorities did not know how many people were going to come in and out or occupy their town.