A spokesman for the group NO2ID said two cars were driving towards the venue of the meeting in Gosforth on Thursday when police stopped them.

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said four men and two women were held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

It comes on the second day of the three-day interior ministers' meeting.

It is shocking that we could not have a peaceful protest in a peaceful country NO2ID spokesman

About 70 EU ministers were attending the summit where host Home Secretary Charles Clarke was confident of securing a deal with his European counterparts on controversial counter-terrorist measures.

The NO2ID group said they were arrested on Thursday morning on the grounds they may cause a breach of the peace.

The campaigners, who were going to wear orange boiler suits and bar codes on their foreheads, had created a massive ID card to highlight what they see as an increasing restriction on civil liberties.

A spokesman for the group said: "The two cars were approaching the venue when they were stopped and searched under the spurious grounds that there might be a breach of the peace.

'Inquiries continuing'

"Before they could even protest about our civil liberties being eroded they were arrested.

"It is shocking that we could not have a peaceful protest in a peaceful country but this is what these ministers want."

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: "Four men and two women have all been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage and are currently in custody.

"Inquiries are on-going."