Thousands gather in London to denounce Gaza bombardment

Thousands of protesters poured onto the streets of central London on Saturday to demand that Israel halt its bombing campaign and siege of the Gaza Strip as it prepares for a possible ground invasion of the tiny Palestinian enclave.

Undeterred by warnings against waving the Palestinian flag, the protesters gathered outside the BBC's New Broadcasting House to denounce what they called "Israeli agression", as air strikes pounded the Gaza Strip for an eighth successive day.

Earlier on Saturday, the exterior of BBC studios in London was sprayed with red paint in protest against the channel's coverage of the conflict. Middle East Eye contacted the BBC for comment but did not receive a response by time of publication.

At the rally - organised by Friends of Al-Aqsa, Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) and other groups - pro-Palestinian protesters could be heard chanting "Israel is a terrorist state" and "free Palestine" as they moved from Regent Street, one of London's main shopping thoroughfares, towards Westminster.

More than 1,000 police were deployed ahead of the protest, with the Metropolitan police warning that anyone showing support for Hamas, a group proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK, or deviating from the protest route could face arrest.

Read more: Thousands gather in London to denounce Gaza bombardment