The protest was held on Tuesday amid a crackdown on illegal workers in Saudi Arabia, which has left five people dead recently. Over 20,000Ethiopian workers have surrendered to Saudi authorities in the past weeks.

Protesters called for the UK government to apply pressure on the Saudi authorities over the issue.

“The British government is in a position to put pressure on Saudi to stop this, but then who is going to sell them oil?” said one protester.

There has been growing anger among Ethiopians about the way that some of their compatriots have been treated in Saudi Arabia.

Things came to a head following an ultimatum for illegal migrant workers to leave the country and there were clashes in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, which led to several deaths last week.

The Saudi authorities say all illegal immigrants were given eight months to get proper documentation and put forward their case for staying - a move which was widely publicized and done in coordination with the diplomatic representatives of the various nationals affected.

BA/BA