Tamil protester jumps in Thames as 5,000 occupy Parliament Square in London

Police warned of disruption to rush hour traffic today as Tamil protesters continued to occupy one of London’s major bridges to demand an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka. 

As many as 5,000 demonstrators gathered in streets around the Houses of Parliament yesterday afternoon to protest over the Sri Lankan government’s offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels and alleged human rights abuses. 

Today, Westminster Bridge and a number of surrounding roads remained closed to traffic as the protest continued, though numbers dwindled to around 900 during the night, police said. 

One man was rescued after jumping into the River Thames at about 6pm. He was taken to hospital and his condition is not believed to be serious, police said.

Fellow protesters said the man was from Mitcham in south London. Four RNLI lifeboats were on standby in the river amid concerns other demonstrators would attempt to throw themselves off the bridge 

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said the protest was peaceful and there had been no arrests so far. 

She said: “Police are continuing to attempt to negotiate with the organisers of the demonstration to facilitate their protest and to minimise disruption to all of London’s communities." 

The protesters, some of whom were waving flags bearing a Tamil emblem, included women and children. 

The Sri Lankan government has rejected international calls for a ceasefire, claiming it is on the verge of defeating the Tamil Tigers rebel group, which is fighting for an independent homeland. 

However, the United Nations says up to 150,000 people are trapped in the war zone in the north of the country. 

The protesters said the lives of thousands of civilians in Sri Lanka’s northern Mullaithivu district are in danger. 

Vijay Mahalingam, 28, of Harrow, said: “We are here to call on the British government and other governments of the world to wake up to the problems in our homeland Sri Lanka. 

“Last week, the most powerful men in the world were here in London but there was no mention of the struggle lots of our people have to face on a daily basis. 

“Members of my family, some of our grandparents, are stuck in an area in the north-east of Sri Lanka which has been bombed intensively for the last two months.”  continues here

What have we become when the alien can occupy our capitol city, when those from other climes call the tune, oh try it, in this a purported democracy, try organising a pro-white, pro-west, pro us demonstration and out come the batons, the legions of the crafty, scurrying on rooftops cameras trained. No Dixon of Dock Green today, no community police officer, now a controlled militia ,whatever happened to us, why did we let things descend to this, to this wretched level, it seems as if the whole world uses us, as if the whole world exploits us and we have no voice.

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