London's Metropolitan Police spent a whopping 8 million pounds to control the 43-day long demonstrations outside the British Parliament by pro-LTTE supporters, the PTI reported quoting a high police official.

The demonstrations had "extraordinarily stretched" the police force, said Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson to the Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs.

"We have to provide such a level of resources that it is reducing policing on the streets of London," he told the committee.

"During the last 43 days these pro-LTTE supporters had been there around the clock, waving flags with the Tiger insignia in violation of the UK Anti-Terrorism laws," Mr. Stephenson said.

"In addition, they had been creating a cacophony of noise, beating drums and taking over the streets surrounding Big Ben and the Parliament. These actions caused traffic chaos, crippled the transport system and caused untold suffering to the general taxpaying British public," he said.