Police are expected to make up to 40 arrests after anti-war demonstrators hurled missiles and smashed shops during a rally outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington

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Pics:Angry anti-war protesters throw missiles and destroy shops in Kensington High Street

Plus: Thousands of pro-Israel demonstrators defend Gaza attacks in Trafalgar Square

LONDON was today counting the cost of a weekend of street riots which have left the city with a £1m bill.

Violence broke out as an initially peaceful protest against Israel's attacks on Gaza ended with a group of demonstrators hurling missiles and smashing windows on Kensington High Street near the Israeli Embassy.

One police officer was knocked unconscious and two others receive facial injuries.

The cost of policing Saturday's Hyde Park demonstration and other Gaza-related protests in London in the past week has passed £1m.

Commander Bob Broadhurst hit out at 'irresponsible and criminal actions' of the rioters.

"A hard core of demonstrators has undermined the cause of the vast majority of demonstrators, who are law abiding citizens wishing to protest peacefully," he said.

He told the press: "The trouble is over. Arrests are going up as we speak. We contained 200 of the main protagonists, and arrests are up to 15, which I expect to rise into the mid-20s in the shorter term, and to the 30s or 40s in the coming days."

He said police would need to sit down with anti- and pro-Israel protesters after problems outside the embassy in recent days.

"Local residents probably feel a bit under siege, and this may be the tipping point in terms of damage. We will need to sit down and talk to protest organisers and say, 'enough's enough'.

"People have a right to protest, but any reasonable observer would see what is happening and say, 'let's protest somewhere else'."

He said 12,000 people had protested peacefully, but at the height of the trouble around 200 young men hurled barriers, metal poles and fire extinguishers.

"There has been a lot of criminal and yobbish behaviour," he added.

Police ensured a heavy presence after a similar protest last Saturday was also marred by confrontations.

Demonstrators gathered in Hyde Park before marching to the embassy, chanting "free, free Palestine".

When the trouble broke out, there were running skirmishes between lines of police and groups of young men.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said that from 3.20pm, officers came under "sustained attack from a group of protesters who started trying to push over the barriers placed there to protect the embassy".

He said: "The barrier line put in place to protect the embassy was dismantled and a hard core of protesters threw missiles, including sticks, stones and metal barriers, at police."

Extra officers were deployed at 4.40pm, but this group was then attacked by the "hard core" of protesters, he added.

A Starbucks coffee shop was stripped of chairs and had its front windows smashed.

Protesters accused the police of failing to manage the crowd properly as attempts were made to clear the area.

One woman, who gave her name only as Sadia, said she had to be helped out of the crowd and her friend fainted after the situation got "completely out of hand".

The 33-year-old from Fulham, west London, who works for a human rights organisation, said: "I got lifted from the ground and I thought that was it.

"It was really dangerous - they started pushing and we were trapped.

"The police were standing there and not doing anything."

Another witness said police did not appear to realise the severity of the situation as people were pushed against barriers.

"The police tactics led to people being crushed," said the 33-year-old Londoner.

A Met spokesman denied the situation had been poorly handled.

"When you've got 12,000 demonstrators and a few hundred officers it can be difficult," he said. "We apologise if innocent people got caught up in it."

A Scotland Yard spokesman said 12 arrests were for violent disorder, one for aggravated trespass and two for assaulting a police officer.

During the Hyde Park rally, actress Lauren Booth criticised her brother-in-law Tony Blair, saying his suggestions for a ceasefire in Gaza would condemn Palestinians "to a slow agonising death".

Celebrities including Brian Eno and Annie Lennox also spoke at the rally.

Cherie Blair's half-sister Ms Booth said: "Tony Blair's only comment regarding the ceasefire has been to say that it can only take place after the tunnels in Gaza are destroyed.

"What he is suggesting means that after the massacre people will have no access to food, kerosene and medicines that came through those tunnels.

That is not a ceasefire, that is a slow agonising death."

In Edinburgh, three police officers were injured after being attacked by a group of 60 protesters outside the US Consulate.

Police faced an angry crowd who hurled shoes at the building.

Officers reported being pelted with sticks, ski boots and paint.

Lothian and Borders Police said they were "extremely disappointed at the violent behaviour".

A spokesman said: "This was done with the obvious intention of causing injury."

There have been no arrests.

The force put the number of demonstrators at around 4,000 and praised the conduct of the majority as "commendable".

People in Newcastle also demonstrated today, while tomorrow more than 3,000 are expected to attend a pro-Israel rally in Manchester.

Heavy fighting continued in Gaza today and Israeli forces dropped leaflets warning of an escalation in attacks on Gaza City.

There were reports that the violence did not stop during a three-hour ceasefire intended to allow in humanitarian aid.

More than 800 Palestinians have been killed since the attacks began two weeks ago.

Pics:Angry anti-war protesters throw missiles and destroy shops in Kensington High Street

Plus: Thousands of pro-Israel demonstrators defend Gaza attacks in Trafalgar Square