This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/8056441.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Pro-Tamil protests block traffic Police end sit-down Tamil protest
(about 3 hours later)
A major thoroughfare next to Parliament has been blocked after Tamil supporters held another sit-down protest. A number of arrests have been made in London after police moved in to end a protest by Tamil supporters who had blocked traffic next to Parliament.
About 2,000 gathered in a road opposite the Houses of Parliament, blocking vans and a bus. Scotland Yard said there had been no arrests. About 2,000 people had gathered for a sit-down protest on a road opposite the Houses of Parliament on Monday.
Many of those on the demonstration wore a white cloth around their heads and arms as a sign of solidarity. The Metropolitan police said officers had cleared the roads around Parliament Square at about 0015 BST.
Military leaders in Sri Lanka say that they have crushed the Tamil Tigers' 26-year insurgency. Demonstrations over the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka have been taking place in Parliament Square since April.
They also claimed Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran had been killed. Around 500 protesters are now back behind barriers on Parliament Square itself and no longer causing a traffic hazard, a Met police spokesman added.
He said there had been a number of arrests made, but definite figures were not currently available.
The protest came as military leaders in Sri Lanka said that they had crushed the rebel Tamil Tigers' 26-year insurgency aimed at securing a separate state in the north and east of the country.
The military also said the leader of the Tamil Tigers, Velupillai Prabhakaran, had been killed.
'Deeply concerned''Deeply concerned'
Police helicopters circled above London's Parliament Square and there was a large presence on the ground as traffic in the area was diverted. At the height of Monday's protest, police helicopters circled above Parliament Square and there was a large presence on the ground as traffic in the area was diverted.
There were no immediate plans to move the protesters, a police source said. Many of those involved in the demonstration wore a white cloth around their heads and arms as a sign of solidarity.
Many held flags and banners and there were a large number of children. Student Kulan Selvan, 32, from Catford, London, said: "There is a strong feeling of real anger here.
Pro-Tamil protesters have been demonstrating in Parliament Square for several weeks over the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Student Kulan Selvan, 32, from Catford, London, said: "I don't know how long people are going to stay on the road but there is a strong feeling of real anger here.
"For us the war is not over and we simply do not believe reports that the Tamil leader has been killed."For us the war is not over and we simply do not believe reports that the Tamil leader has been killed.
Media access
"We are deeply concerned for the people in our homeland. We believe thousands have been killed."We are deeply concerned for the people in our homeland. We believe thousands have been killed.
"The Sri Lankan government have refused to let the media in so we just don't know how bad it really is there.""The Sri Lankan government have refused to let the media in so we just don't know how bad it really is there."
He urged the media to give more prominent coverage to the conflicts in Sri Lanka.He urged the media to give more prominent coverage to the conflicts in Sri Lanka.
Some banners urged US President Barack Obama to send aid ships to Sri Lanka.Some banners urged US President Barack Obama to send aid ships to Sri Lanka.