It said several thousand people are expected to gather outside the embassy on Saturday after marching past the headquarters of the BBC radio and television network, which the peace coalition accuses of "biased" coverage of the war.

Andrew Murray, chairman of the coalition that groups some 300 anti-war organisations, said support for the conflict among Britons, which had increased since the start of hostilities two weeks ago, is now declining.

"People feel misled by the government, especially as they begin to realise how badly the war is hitting Iraqi civilians and British soldiers," he said.

"Activities over this weekend will be another opportunity to tell the government - not in our name."

Anti-war groups in Britain have mushroomed since the March 20 start of the US-led intervention in Iraq, in which 27 British soldiers have died.

Protests are also planned in front of the Royal Air Force base at Fairford in southwest England, where 14 US air force B-52 bombers have been stationed since March. Several of the long-range aircraft have been used to stage air strikes on Iraq.

Elsewhere in Europe, anti-war demonstrations are scheduled this weekend in several cities in Germany, outside the US air base at Aviano in northeast Italy, and in Moscow.

A massive demonstration is planned in London on April 12 to coincide with a rally in Washington.

On February 15, more than one million people took to the streets of London to protest the then looming war on Baghdad in what police said was the largest demonstration in the British capital.

On March 22, two days after the start of hostilities, between 200,000 and 700,000 people protested in the British capital.

SPACE.WIRE