Police are being accused of brutality after a number of people were arrested during a protest march in Auckland against Israeli military actions in Lebanon

More than 200 people took part in the march yesterday.

It turned ugly after police tried to control the crowd.

One protester got on the roof above the footpath at the US Consulate and lowered the American flag to half mast.

Among those charged with disorderly behaviour is veteran protester Simon Oosterman, who says police were using unnecessary force.

He says young school girls who had come to support the demonstration were pushed around and kicked, and some of them were thrown to the ground..

Among the protesters were members of the Palestine Human Rights Campaign and the group Students for Justice from Auckland University