Police on alert after riot at Israel's London embassy

RIOT police were on standby in London today after pro-Palestinian demonstrators tried to storm the Israeli embassy.

Hundreds of officers clashed with hardcore protesters as they drove the demonstrators back from the building in Kensington.

Their anger had been fired by Israel's assault on Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

A dozen rioters were arrested as up to 2,000 tried to surround the embassy in Palace Green yesterday. Police closed off neighbouring streets for nearly six hours, resulting in traffic chaos.

Palestinian group Friends of Al-Aqsa - one of the main organisers - said it would picket the embassy again today despite the 12 arrests for public order offences.

Ishmail Patel, chairman of the Leicester-based group, said: "We were expecting around 200 people because we only organised it at the last minute but it shows the strong feeling in London about the attacks. There were a few incidents because of the large numbers and the way it was handled by the police. But we will keep protesting. We want to send a signal to the British Government that what has happened is unacceptable."

Violence flared yesterday when police attempted to remove protesters so they could reopen Kensington High Street . Holding placards reading "Holocaust in Gaza" and chanting "Israel is a terror state", the protesters brought the shopping thoroughfare to a standstill. Some demonstrators attempted to climb the gate towards the embassy while one man threw red liquid - to symbolise blood - at the building.

Adam Shaw, 23, an IT consultant from Ladbroke Grove, said: "This was a peaceful protest but the police were far too heavy handed. They were man- handling people and pushing them."

Najwa Tamini, 55, who has come from Hebron on the West Bank to visit her brother in London, spoke of the living conditions endured by Palestinians because of the Gaza Strip blockade.

Mrs Tamini, 55, said: "The world is not witnessing what is going on in Gaza and it takes something like this to highlight the problems there. No aid can get into the city so the people are imprisoned but are now being bombarded from the air."

Among the protesters were Respect MP George Galloway and former Labour MP Tony Benn, who both addressed the rally. After his speech, Mr Galloway said: "Israel has killed hundreds yet Gordon Brown is blaming the victim rather than the aggressor. We should treat Israel as we treated South Africa during apartheid."

Protester Khalid Omar, 30, said: "We need to show the Israelis the world is watching them. People will not sit back and let them get away with genocide."

Abdul Abdulah, 35, a student from Greenwich, said: "I have visited Gaza and have seen what is going on there. The latest attacks are disgusting because the people are stranded."