LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- Several hundred Sri Lankan Tamil protesters shouted slogans at the British Parliament for a second day Tuesday , urging it to act to end the `` genocide '' against their people in Sri Lanka . Police clash with Tamil protesters outside the Houses of Parliament . `` Stop the genocide ! '' they shouted . `` Stop the war ! '' They waved the red flag of Tamil Eelam , the Tamils ' traditional homeland in northern and eastern Sri Lanka . The flag is emblazoned with a yellow roaring tiger . Most of the protesters slept overnight on the streets around Parliament Square after beginning their unauthorized protest Monday afternoon . At one point , the protesters blocked the street leading to Westminster Bridge over the River Thames , police said . That led to road closures around Parliament . By Tuesday morning , a solid ring of police had hemmed the protesters in Parliament Square across the street from the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben . Roads were open again , but the protest and police presence caused traffic congestion in the area . Hariram Shan , 24 , is a Sri Lankan Tamil who said he has lived in Britain for six years . He said the protesters hope the British government will intervene to stop Sri Lanka 's crackdown on Tamil Tiger rebels , which he said harms civilians . `` They can force economic sanctions , '' Shan told CNN . Dushyanthy Sukumar , 47 , said the Sri Lankan government is retaliating against innocent civilians . `` The Sri Lankan government has now cornered the rebels , the LTTE ( Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ) , and what they are doing is killing the people , '' she said . Sukumar , who said she has lived in Britain since leaving her homeland in 1987 , said she is angry at the British government for supporting Sri Lanka . `` The Sri Lankan government is doing their dirty work through this government , '' she said . The Sri Lankan military said Sunday that it had captured the last rebel stronghold and killed five rebel leaders after three days of gunbattles . It said more rebels could still be hiding in a 20-square-kilometer `` safety zone , '' but that it would not enter the area because it is home to some 50,000 people . The Tamil Tigers have fought since 1983 for an independent homeland for the country 's ethnic Tamil minority . The civil war has left more than 70,000 people dead .
some 50,000 Tamil protesters demonstrate outside UK parliament . Protesters urge UK lawmakers to `` act to end the genocide in UK Sukumar separatists have fought since 1983 for an independent homeland . Sri British military said 1983 it had captured last rebel stronghold .