Angry schoolchildren protesting against the war in Iraq have clashed with police in central Sydney, during an anti-war protest.
Rattling tambourines and beating drums schoolchildren, many in uniform, chanted "No War - No War" and fought running skirmishes with ranks of police on Wednesday.
Several children with fists flying charged into police but were wrestled to the ground. Police said 14 youths had been arrested so far but could not confirm their ages.
"It shouldn't be violent but what are we going to do," said 15-year-old Hajir, wearing a T-shirt reading: "Make Chocolate, Not War."
One placard read: "We are ready to fight, world peace is our right."
Other students, who had also participated in a raucous rally by schoolchildren early this month, said they were embarrassed the protest was disintegrating into violence.
"We came here for peace not to start a war," said Sian Parslow, 17.
The 'Books not Bombs' protest turned violent after police refused to allow the several thousand protesters to march through the city centre. But the police finally relented and allowed the students to march down George Street in the heart of the business district, bringing traffic to a standstill. A Newspoll survey published on Tuesday showed the number of Australians supporting the US-led war against Iraq outweighed the opponents for the first time since the conflict began last week.
It showed that support for military action to disarm Saddam Hussein had risen to 50 percent, up from 45 percent when the war began, while opposition fell to 42 percent from 47.
Australia has deployed around 2,000 military personnel to the Gulf including fighter jets, warships and 150 special forces now involved in fighting deep inside Iraq.