THOUSANDS took to the streets of London on Saturday afternoon to demand the government cease arming Israel as the Metropolitan Police force was forced to drop its attempt to disrupt the protest.

Demonstrators set off from Piccadilly Circus, with the march passing alongside Hyde Park before ending near the Israeli embassy on Kensington Road.

The Met said that eight people were arrested on the day, two of them counterprotesters held for breach of the peace and assaulting police officers.