Thousands of people staged on Saturday demonstration in France, Rome and also Egypt, protesting military offensive in the Palestinian Gaza Strip.
Some protesters burnt American and Israeli flags at the start of the Paris demonstration, one of several held around the world to protest against the Israeli massacres in Gaza.
Thousands also marched through Rome, carrying pictures of Palestinian children killed since Israel launched air strikes on the Gaza Strip on Dec. 27.
The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza says at least 1,205 Palestinians have been killed in the offensive, at least third of them children.
A large banner reading "Life, land and liberty for the Palestinian people" led the Rome demonstration.
In Paris, protesters smashed the windows of a McDonald's restaurant on the capital's rue de Rivoli, while cars and buildings were vandalized during another Gaza protest held in the Mediterranean city of Nice.
In Rome, as the demonstration passed the Colosseum, Muslims in the crowd bent in prayer before the ancient monument.
Earlier this month, conservative politicians balked after Muslims in predominantly Catholic Italy prayed in public squares during demonstrations against Israel in Milan and Bologna.
Another demonstration took place in Assisi, the central Italian city where St. Francis was born.
The Vatican, meanwhile, announced that Pope Benedict had sent an unspecified amount of money from his personal charity funds to help the tiny Catholic population in Gaza.
In Cairo, Egyptian police used batons to beat protesters who rallied against the Israeli offensive, witnesses said.
The protest was called by the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's strongest opposition group.
Witnesses said eight protesters were injured during the clashes with anti-riot police, who had deployed in force several hours before the rally.
A security official, speaking on a customary condition of anonymity, said police detained 25 people during the protest.
Reuters photographer Asmaa Waguih said men who appeared to be plainclothes agents also confiscated her camera, along with the cameras of at least two other photographers.
The Brotherhood has been leading a campaign against the three-week Israeli attacks, which destroyed U.N. schools and compound besides hospitals and mosques.
The Islamist group has also criticized the government for not opening the Rafah border crossing with Gaza for normal traffic although around 5000 wounded Palestinians have stucked in the enclave.
PHOTO CAPTION
A young protestor holds a placard that reads, "Free Palestine" during a demonstration held outside the Israeli embassy in the Cypriot capital Nicosia against Israel's deadly assault on the Gaza Strip.
Reuters