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Police end sit-down Tamil protest Police end sit-down Tamil protest
(about 3 hours later)
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. Five arrests were made in London as police ended a Tamil supporter protest which blocked roads around Parliament.
About 2,000 people had gathered for a sit-down protest on a road opposite the Houses of Parliament on Monday. Initially about 2,000 people had gathered for a sit-down protest over the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka on a road opposite the Houses of Parliament.
The Metropolitan police said officers had cleared the roads around Parliament Square at about 0015 BST. The Metropolitan Police said officers had cleared the roads around Parliament Square at about 0015 BST.
Demonstrations over the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka have been taking place in Parliament Square since April. London Ambulance Service said three police officers and five protesters were taken to hospital.
Around 500 protesters are now back behind barriers on Parliament Square itself and no longer causing a traffic hazard, a Met police spokesman added. Demonstrations trying to draw attention to the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka have been taking place in Parliament Square since April.
He said there had been a number of arrests made, but definite figures were not currently available. Between 50 and 100 protesters are now back behind barriers on Parliament Square itself and no longer causing a traffic hazard, a Met police spokesman added.
He also said that twelve police officers had been injured, with two requiring hospital treatment, but they were not believed to be seriously hurt.
For us the war is not over and we simply do not believe reports that the Tamil leader has been killed Kulan Selvan, student
However, the ambulance service said it had treated two police officers at the scene and three had gone to hospital.
Six protesters were treated at the scene, it said.
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 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.The military also said the leader of the Tamil Tigers, Velupillai Prabhakaran, had been killed.
'Deeply concerned''Deeply concerned'
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.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.
Many of those involved in the demonstration wore a white cloth around their heads and arms as a sign of solidarity.Many of those involved in the demonstration wore a white cloth around their heads and arms as a sign of solidarity.
Student Kulan Selvan, 32, from Catford, London, said: "There is a strong feeling of real anger here.Student Kulan Selvan, 32, from Catford, London, said: "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.
"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.