TORY MP John Greenway has called for limits on how anti-war protesters are allowed to behave.

The Ryedale MP spoke out after massive protests outside Westminster paralysed the capital's roads for more than 12 hours on Thursday.

A police officer also suffered slight injuries as a small minority of the thousands of people chanting outside the House of Commons turned violent.

Mr Greenway, a former police officer, said he did not want to restrict people's right to protest against military action in Iraq.

But he said the Home Office should issue guidelines to police chief constables on where they should draw the line.

He believes deliberately blocking roads or attempting to injure police is "unacceptable".

Mr Greenway, who also raised his fears with Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon in the Commons said: "We have a right to protest which people in Iraq do not enjoy and I would do nothing to limit that."

But it cannot be right to completely paralyse roads. This is not just a Westminster issue.

"There are likely to be spontaneous protests in towns and cities across thecountry, and they may be less able to cope. I just think it is important that people should be allowed to get on with their lives."

Updated: 09:54 Saturday, March 22, 2003