- guardian.co.uk, Wednesday July 18 2001 03.18 BST
Globalise Resistance, which had chartered the service, fears the move is another step by the authorities in Europe to prevent an estimated 120,000 protesters from reaching Genoa.
The French authorities have said that British activists will be stopped at the border if they are on a list of known "agitators".
More than 16,000 soldiers and police officers, backed by missiles, helicopters, jets and warships, are patrolling the area around the conference in an attempt to prevent a repeat of violence seen at international summits in Copenhagen and Seattle.
About 450 British protesters had paid £120 each for places on the train, which had been due to leave Calais tomorrow morning.
Guy Taylor at Globalise Resistance said: "It shows the weakness of the authorities and their policies that they feel it necessary to stop people having a voice at all. On our train are pensioners, trade unionists, children, socialists and environmentalists."
The group is planning legal action against the French authorities for breaching their right to freedom of movement within Europe.
