Syrians Protest Outside London Embassy

More than a hundred Syrians held a peaceful but noisy protest opposite the Syrian Embassy in London's Belgrave Square against government attacks on the Syrian people for holding peaceful demonstrations in Syria. The called for President Bashar al-Assad and his regime to go and for democratic changes in their country.

The protesters were particularly appalled at the news currently emerging from Syria, including reports of the use of helicopter gunships against peaceful protesters in Maarat al-Numaab and the 'revenge' attacks against villages around Jisr al-Shugour, where crops have been burnt, livestock killed, olive trees uprooted and villages destroyed and tanks are now said to have sealed off the town, from which around 80% of the people are said to have fled to Turkey.

While I was there the men were chanting, jumping up and down, clapping and waving arms vigorously at the Syrian embassy across the road, while the women mainly stood to one side and demonstrated more quietly, with a number of them filming and photographing the men's protest.

Among the protesters who told me they represented Syrians of all groups and religions were Kurds from northern Syria, and as well as many Syrian flags there were one or two with Kurdistan flags on display.

The embassy was guarded by a couple of armed police and more officers were waiting nearby in a van, but the protest remained peaceful and made no attempt to approach the embassy, where there were no signs of life.