Marathon Tamil protest in London dwindles

A demonstration outside London's parliament by Tamils urging Britain to intervene in Sri Lanka's armed conflict dwindled on its third day yesterday.
Around 100 campaigners were still protesting on Parliament Square by the middle of the day, down from a peak of around 3,000 on Monday evening and between 300 and 400 just hours earlier.
Five police vans and several officers watched over protesters, allowing people to freely move in and out of the square, in the shadow of the House of Commons.
Seven people have been arrested in the non-stop demonstration which began Monday and saw repeated scuffles with police on Tuesday, although the overwhelming majority have been peaceful their protests.
The demonstrators want Sri Lanka's former colonial ruler Britain to intervene with Colombo to protect the Tamil people, who they say are being targeted.
It is illegal under a law which prohibits demonstrations close to parliament without prior police permission.
Two men still out Wednesday said they had begun a hunger strike, and promised they would not relent until their call for an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka was met.
Other protesters held up signs reading "Stop The Bloodshed. End Genocide Now" and "Mr Gordon Brown, Demand Immediate Ceasefire in Sri Lanka" while a group chanted "We Want! Ceasefire!" as a drum was banged alongside them.