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| Tamil protesters vent their fury | Tamil protesters vent their fury |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| By Justin Parkinson BBC News political reporter, Parliament Square | By Justin Parkinson BBC News political reporter, Parliament Square |
| They were tired. They were irritated. They were staying put. | They were tired. They were irritated. They were staying put. |
| Hundreds of Tamil protesters camped out in Parliament Square, having been moved on from nearby Westminster Bridge, which they had blocked overnight with a mass sit-down demonstration. | Hundreds of Tamil protesters camped out in Parliament Square, having been moved on from nearby Westminster Bridge, which they had blocked overnight with a mass sit-down demonstration. |
| The square, usually occupied only by full-time anti-Iraq war campaigner Brian Haw and a few colleagues, was bustling with people. | The square, usually occupied only by full-time anti-Iraq war campaigner Brian Haw and a few colleagues, was bustling with people. |
| A day after their demonstration - aimed at getting Gordon Brown to push for an end to the civil war in Sri Lanka - began, the anger was still evident. | A day after their demonstration - aimed at getting Gordon Brown to push for an end to the civil war in Sri Lanka - began, the anger was still evident. |
| Occasionally part of the crowd surged towards the dozens of police ringing the square, which is effectively a large traffic island with two lanes of heavy traffic circling it, overlooked by a statue of Sir Winston Churchill. | Occasionally part of the crowd surged towards the dozens of police ringing the square, which is effectively a large traffic island with two lanes of heavy traffic circling it, overlooked by a statue of Sir Winston Churchill. |
| The scuffles moved aimlessly from one side of the green to the other, and then back again. | The scuffles moved aimlessly from one side of the green to the other, and then back again. |
| Arrests | Arrests |
| A few missiles were thrown at police, accompanied by some unprintable words about the UK government. | A few missiles were thrown at police, accompanied by some unprintable words about the UK government. |
| Four people were arrested: one for violent disorder, another for breach of the peace and two for public order offences. | Four people were arrested: one for violent disorder, another for breach of the peace and two for public order offences. |
| Some protesters needed medical treatment, including one young man with blood spattered down his shirt and another who suffered minor head injuries. | Some protesters needed medical treatment, including one young man with blood spattered down his shirt and another who suffered minor head injuries. |
| I've been in England for 10 years now and I've always respected the police. But now I have lost all of that respect. Protester Clashes as Tamils rally in London In pictures: Tamils' London rally | I've been in England for 10 years now and I've always respected the police. But now I have lost all of that respect. Protester Clashes as Tamils rally in London In pictures: Tamils' London rally |
| But most of the time the demonstrators - mainly in their twenties and thirties - just stood around or sat down, talking to each other or chanting slogans like "ceasefire now" and "end the genocide", as a few of their number banged drums. | But most of the time the demonstrators - mainly in their twenties and thirties - just stood around or sat down, talking to each other or chanting slogans like "ceasefire now" and "end the genocide", as a few of their number banged drums. |
| They waved banners making the same points. | They waved banners making the same points. |
| The police, who were filming the protest, have come in for criticism. Some protesters said officers had been heavy-handed in moving them on from Westminster Bridge. | The police, who were filming the protest, have come in for criticism. Some protesters said officers had been heavy-handed in moving them on from Westminster Bridge. |
| One told the BBC: "I've been in England for 10 years now and I've always respected the police. But now I have lost all of that respect. | One told the BBC: "I've been in England for 10 years now and I've always respected the police. But now I have lost all of that respect. |
| "The police are terrible in the way they have handled themselves. They are despicable." | "The police are terrible in the way they have handled themselves. They are despicable." |
| A helicopter hovered above Parliament, while two RNLI boats were stationed a few metres from the bridge, ready in case any more Tamils jumped into the Thames, as a two had done overnight. | A helicopter hovered above Parliament, while two RNLI boats were stationed a few metres from the bridge, ready in case any more Tamils jumped into the Thames, as a two had done overnight. |
| 'Peaceful' | 'Peaceful' |
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| The BBC's Colette McBeth at the scene of the protests | |
| They were determined to get UK media coverage for the Sri Lankan situation. They succeeded. | They were determined to get UK media coverage for the Sri Lankan situation. They succeeded. |
| In recent weeks the clashes between Sri Lanka's army and Tamil Tigers - who are fighting for a separate state - have intensified. | In recent weeks the clashes between Sri Lanka's army and Tamil Tigers - who are fighting for a separate state - have intensified. |
| Security forces say they are making a final push to defeat the rebels and end nearly 30 years of conflict. | Security forces say they are making a final push to defeat the rebels and end nearly 30 years of conflict. |
| The United Nations estimates more than 2,800 civilians have been killed and 7,000 others injured in the fighting in the north-east of Sri Lanka in the last two months. The country's government disputes these figures. | The United Nations estimates more than 2,800 civilians have been killed and 7,000 others injured in the fighting in the north-east of Sri Lanka in the last two months. The country's government disputes these figures. |
| Some of the protesters on Parliament Square said they would not move until the UK government increases pressure on the Sri Lankan government to end the war. | Some of the protesters on Parliament Square said they would not move until the UK government increases pressure on the Sri Lankan government to end the war. |
| One of them said: "This has been a peaceful protest. We are well behaved but we are angry. Someone has got to let the British government know what is going on. | One of them said: "This has been a peaceful protest. We are well behaved but we are angry. Someone has got to let the British government know what is going on. |
| "Thousands of people are dying. Something must be done." | "Thousands of people are dying. Something must be done." |
| Across the road, by the Palace of Westminster, tourists took photos and filmed the demonstrations. | Across the road, by the Palace of Westminster, tourists took photos and filmed the demonstrations. |
| Most seemed as clueless about what was going on as the commuters who arrived late for work on Tuesday morning as Westminster Tube station was closed by police. | Most seemed as clueless about what was going on as the commuters who arrived late for work on Tuesday morning as Westminster Tube station was closed by police. |
| A sleepless night behind them, the Tamil protesters seemed to harbour no intention of heading off for a rest. | A sleepless night behind them, the Tamil protesters seemed to harbour no intention of heading off for a rest. |