Demonstrators in Cardiff city centre

Hundreds of people took part in the demonstration and there were reports police used batons to restrain a number of protesters.

Police diverted traffic away from the city centre. The demonstration came to an end at 2030GMT.

An earlier protest saw a number of protesters sit down in the road stopping traffic at the junction of Kingsway and Duke Street near Cardiff Castle.

Meanwhile, a Gulf War support group, formed in the early 1990s, has been revived to write letters and send parcels to service men and women.

The lunchtime protest in Cardiff - organised by the Stop the War Coalition - had converged on the Aneurin Bevan statue in Queen Street from Cardiff University.

A further Stop the War protest was organised at the same time at the Clarence Place Cenotaph in Newport.

Meanwhile, workers at two councils in south east Wales joined in protests on the first day of military action in Iraq.

Most of the 13,000 staff at Rhondda Cynon Taf council were given permission to join in a 15-minute walkout at midday on Thursday.

Police restrain a demonstrator

Only those working directly with vulnerable adults and children were not being allowed to leave the workplace.

The authority's Plaid Cymru leadership were also taking part in the protest at the council's offices.

Council leader Pauline Jarman, who is also a Plaid Cymru AM, had said she would consider representations from workers who wanted to demonstrate.

Another 8,500 staff at nearby Caerphilly Council were also given permission to walk out in protest against the war at midday.

Staff were assured they would not be penalised or their wages cut if they wanted to join the walk out.

Food parcels

Meanwhile, a support group formed originally for those who served in the first Gulf War 12 years ago has been reformed.

The South Wales Gulf War Support Group is based at the charity Scope's offices at Sully in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Volunteers and people who attend the charity's centre are helping put together food parcels for the forces and also writing letters to service men and women.

Organiser Claire Ryan said: "We had support from as far away as Brecon in the last Gulf War.

"Early indications are we are getting the same level of support now."