More than 1,000 people held rallies in New Zealand's largest city of Auckland on Saturday in protest against Israel's attacks on Gaza.

The protesters marched from Aotea Square at midday to the US consulate, where they threw about 100 shoes at the building, considered a grave insult by Arabs.

The march then returned to Aotea Square for speeches. Israeli flags were also burnt during the protest, according to the demonstrators.

Some of the protesters were clothed in Palestinian flags and held placards of dead and mutilated children.

The march in Auckland followed a similar-sized demonstration in Wellington last week. Demonstrators threw shoes at the consulate building, and then walked to Aotea Square where they burned an Israeli flag.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2009)