Some 4,000 people, who had come from across Europe by bus and train, marched through Geneva and crowded into the square outside the United Nations’ European headquarters, AFP reported today.

The demonstrators blocked traffic through the center of town and around the central Place des Nations, and police were forced to use pepper spray to contain the situation when protestors began pressing against the security barriers around the United Nations, police spokesman Silvain Guillaume-Gentil had told AFP.

They also showed pictures of victims of the alleged war crimes committed during the final stages of Sri Lanka’s war.

 The protest was staged in Geneva yesterday while the 25th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council was underway.