Anti-war group in protest at BBC

Some 20 people turned out to protest in Glasgow

Activists opposed to the war in Iraq gathered outside several BBC offices, accusing it of pro-government bias.

Organisers Stop The War Coalition said they were also protesting over the lack of coverage BBC TV news gave to an anti-war march in London last month.

In a letter to BBC boss Mark Thompson they complained of "systematic hostility" to the anti-war movement.

About 20 protesters gathered in London, 20 more in Glasgow and handfuls at other BBC buildings around the UK.

'Defies belief'

Stop The War said the march it helped to organise on 18 March had attracted 80-100,000 people.

Such an attitude can only undermine belief in the power of peaceful democratic protest Stop The War letter

In its letter to Mr Thompson, the group said speakers at the march had included senior figures from the Labour, Liberal Democrat, Plaid Cymru and Respect parties.

It said Iraqi political figures as well as an SAS soldier who had recently served in that country also took part in the demonstration.

"It defies belief that you found this event unworthy of the slightest mention," it said.

"Such an attitude can only undermine belief in the power of peaceful democratic protest."

The BBC's weekend editor Aziz Rashid told the Newswatch programme that he had sent a camera crew to cover the march, but had felt the turnout to be small.

He said his crew estimated between 15,000 and 20,000 people were at the protest - much fewer than previous anti-war marches.

There were several other important stories to cover in a short space of time on that day, he said.

Small protests were held on Tuesday lunchtime outside BBC buildings in London, Glasgow, Oxford and Cardiff among others.