15,000 attend pro-Israel London rally

LONDON, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- An estimated 15,000 demonstrators jammed London's Trafalgar Square Sunday to support Israel's military offensive in Gaza, observers said.

Gathering under a banner reading, "Peace in Israel, Peace in Gaza," rally attendees heard speeches from Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sachs, the Israeli ambassador to Britain and a several of members of Parliament, The Sunday Times of London reported.

Counter-protesters brought together by the Islamist Human Rights Commission, meanwhile, assembled at one edge of the square near the Canadian Embassy, with about 1,000 people attending, the newspaper said.

London's Metropolitan Police said they made two arrests, while pro-Israel demonstrators told The Times a man had been pushed into an icy fountain after he tried to disrupt their demonstration.