Published 22:40 BST

Photographs added 07 Jun 2012 02:01 BST 

Thousands of Tamils marched through the streets of London on Wednesday protesting against Rajapaksa's UK visit to have a Diamond Jubilee lunch with the Queen, before egging his car as he made his way to the airport.

At 8am this morning, buoyed but undeterred by the cancellation of Rajapaksa's key note speech at the Commonwealth Economic Forum,  hundreds of protesters began to gather outside Mansion House, before marching on to Marlborough House where Rajapaksa was due to have lunch with the Queen.

As the march progressed, hundreds rapidly swelled into thousands as scores of Tamils arrived with placards, banners and Eelam flags. By mid-morning the march had reached an estimated 8000 protesters, as they congregated around Marlborough House. Hundreds of Tamils from France, Germany and other European countries joined the protest with their country's flags flying outside.

Furious at the invitation extended to him, protesters dragged an effigy of Rajapaksa through the streets and burnt the Sri Lankan constitution.

Speaking to Channel 4 News on the mass protests against Rajapaksa in the UK on Wednesday, the chairman of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Peter Kellner, said the meeting with Rajapaksa had been an embarrassment to the Queen, however it was due to a "mistake" made at the last Commonwealth summit, when "they took no action against the mounting evidence" of human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

See here for full interview with Channel 4 News.

Transcript of interview follows:

Q. I asked whether, in his view, the President of Sri Lanka should have been here today.

A. No I don't think he should, it wasn’t a mistake that the Queen or Buckingham Palace made, Sri Lanka is a member of the Commonwealth. The mistake was made by the Commonwealth at their last summit, last year in Perth in Australia, when they took no action against the mounting evidence that you amongst others have provided, of things going wrong and human rights being violated in Sri Lanka.

Q. But if they won’t suspend him, then he’s a legitimate leader of a Commonwealth country and has every right to be here and to be heard.

A. Here’s the problem, it’s not just any old Commonwealth country, they are, Sri Lanka is hosting the next Commonwealth summit, which the Queen shall attend towards the end of next year, What worries me is that if nothing is done to improve the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, that summit is going to be a disaster.

Sri Lanka deported Channel 4 director, Stuart Cosgrove, and his wife of Tamil descent, Shirani Sabaratnam, on Sunday.

Both have now been placed on a "blacklist" and barred from entering the country by the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

National Criminal Investigation unit arrested both individuals and deported them. Accoring to Virakesari, Shirani Sabaratnam stayed seven
hours in the country before she was refused a visa and turned back at the airport.

Across the Commonwealth nations, Tamils have protested against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visit to the UK to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

An event held in Auckland, New Zealand saw Tamils brave the extreme weather conditions to hold banners and placards, denouncing Rajapaksa as a war criminal.

Published 00:01 BST. Updated 10:11 BST (more photos added)

Tamil protesters gathered once again on Monday, to demonstrate against the arrival of Rajapaksa to the UK. Gathering outside the Park Lane Hilton Hotel since mid-afternoon, protesters shouted for several hours ceaselessly.

Holding placards denouncing him as a war criminal, protesters called on the British government to withdraw its invitation.

As the Tamil protesters gathered opposite the hotel, eye witnesses state that a coach was seen to arrive by the entrance of the hotel and drop off around 30 Sinhala pro-Rajapaksa supporters who came with Sri Lankan flags and banners expressing support.

Although the supporters appeared to be chanting, it could not be heard amidst the protesters shouting.

At 17:25 BST, the Sinhala supporters appeared to be packing up to leave when a diplomatic car, flanked either side by security vehicles sped out from the back entrance of the hotel.

Addressing an event in Marawila on Saturday, the infamous minister, Wimal Weerawansa, asserted that the US was seeking to "destablise" the country by working in "separatist organisations".

Weerawamsa said,

Rajapaksa's keynote speech due to have taken place at a meeting of the Commonwealth Economic Fourm at 10am on Wednesday has been cancelled amid fears of mass Tamil protests, after a series of protests against his UK visit over the past few days.

He will still be attending a lunch with the Queen, at an event arranged by the Commonwealth Secretary General and Marlborough House on Pall Mall.

Published 03:00 BST. Updated 10:40 BST

Hundreds of Tamils flooded into the Arrivals lounge at London Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 on Sunday night, as reports of flight UL503, said to be carrying Mahinda Rajapaksa, emerged.

Carrying placards and banners denouncing him as a war criminal and shouting chants urging the British government and the British monarch not to invite him into the country, protesters filled the arrivals lounge.

Rajapaksa's arrival remains unconfirmed however. One source told Tamil Guardian that Scotland Yard's Community Liaison team were stating that he had not arrived, whilst protesters informed Tamil Guardian that police officers on the ground had announced he was not on flight UL503.

Speaking to Tamil Guardian, one protester who wished to remain anonymous fearing for the safety of her family in the North-East, said,

"There was a flight from Sri Lanka, UL503, that was said to have Rajapaksa on it, but don't know, the police keep trying to divert people by saying he isn't here, but that was what they said last time [protest at Heathrow in Nov 2010 at Rajapaksa's arrival] too."

Updated 10:40 BST:

Reports continue to be unconfirmed. Whilst the Daily Mirror has announced his arrival, one source told Tamil Guardian that diplomatic insiders have stated he is yet to arrive. Other reports state that the police have unofficially stated he is yet to arrive. 

There remains much speculation over his accommodation whilst in UK too with some reports suggesting The Dorchester, due to its close proximity to the Sri Lankan High Commission, and others suggesting the Park Lane Hilton.  

For live updates follow us on Twitter.  

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) party has called for a public debate on a recent private member's motion seeking a constitution amendment barring religious clergy from becoming members of parliament.

Responding to a recent statement made by the president's counsel, suggesting the widespread and endemic practice of torture by Sri Lankan police, the police spokesperson, SP Ajith Rohana said,

“Generally as a practice torture never takes place in Lankan Police stations.”