LONDON police are bracing for protests at Margaret Thatcher's funeral, with opponents vowing to pelt her coffin with eggs, coal or milk if they can get close enough - or simply turn their backs on the passing procession.
More than 800 people have pledged to attend an event called "Maggie's good riddance party", promising a "right jolly knees-up" outside St Paul's Cathedral - where 2000 global political leaders, celebrities and friends will be paying their respects to the former British prime minister on Wednesday.
"Let the world know the hypocrisy of a state-funded funeral for the person who influenced 30 years of cuts to state funding of welfare," the protest's Facebook page reads.
"If taxpayers are funding her funeral ... we can at least get our money's worth."
The former Conservative Party leader's death has sparked furious debate in Britain over her legacy - and over the decision to grant her a state-funded ceremonial funeral, which by some estimates will cost the taxpayer up to STG10 million ($A14.93 million).
Her more radical critics, who accuse her of ruining millions of lives with her radical free-market reforms, greeted news of her death from a stroke last week with impromptu street parties.
Hundreds of people filled London's Trafalgar Square on Saturday, erected a giant effigy of her and shouted "Maggie, Maggie, Maggie! Dead, dead, dead!"
Scotland Yard has launched a massive security operation, fearing that protesters could attack the 1.9-kilometre route between parliament and St Paul's. Her coffin will be carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage through streets lined with military personnel.
Some protesters have vowed to pelt the coffin with eggs, while others have hinted at hurling coal - a reminder of the bitter 1984-1985 miners' strike which Thatcher crushed, leading to the closure of dozens of mines and tens of thousands of job losses.
In London, some protesters suggested they may try to throw milk at Thatcher's coffin, a reference to her days as education minister when her decision to stop free milk for older school pupils earned her the nickname "Thatcher the milk snatcher".
Westminster City Council has nine "flushing machines" and 40 staff on standby to clear the streets of milk if necessary, a spokeswoman said.
But many of Thatcher's foes said that simply turning their backs as her coffin passes would send a more powerful message.
"If many people turn their backs it will be a deeply symbolic act," said Becca Blum, an environmental activist who said she had police permission for a peaceful protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice.
"We will show the world that Britain is not all united in grief," she wrote on her blog.
A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said an "appropriate" policing operation was in place for Wednesday.
She declined to say how many officers would be on the ground, adding that the force had been in contact with some protesters.
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