An anti-war demonstrator attempted to perform a citizen’s arrest on a Saudi general visiting London, over his country's alleged war crimes in Yemen.

Major General Ahmed Asiri was confronted by activist Sam Waldron, who was quickly pushed away by the soldier’s bodyguards.

British police also pulled away protesters who shouted “hands off Yemen” and attempted to block the general’s car.

Saudi ambassador gives bizarre answer to illegal Yemen cluster bombing question'It's like asking if you’ll stop beating your wife’

Video footage caught General Asiri showing protesters the middle finger.

On Twitter, the Saudi Embassy called the protests an “attempted attack”.

General Asiri was visiting London to speak at a foreign policy think tank about the ongoing civil conflict in Yemen, in which Saudi Arabia is deeply embroiled and has been accused of war crimes.

Around 7,600 people have died so far in the conflict and two million are internally displaced.

The general is a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and a senior adviser to the Saudi Arabian Defence Minister. Last year, he denied Saudi forces had been using British made cluster bombs in Yemen, but this was later revealed to be untrue.

Cluster bombs randomly scatter explosives over a wide area, instead of a single target, greatly heightening the threat to civilians. The United Kingdom is prohibited from using the munitions in conflict but has supplied them to other countries.

Mr Walton said: “Asiri represents a regime that has killed thousands in Yemen and shown a total contempt for international law. I tried to arrest him because of the war crimes he has overseen and propagated for, but he was surrounded by bodyguards who roughly forced me away.

“Asiri shouldn’t be welcomed and treated like a dignitary, he should be arrested and investigated for war crimes.”

Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said General Asiri was the “mouthpiece” for a “devastating bombing campaign”.

The situation in Yemen Show all 14 1 /14 The situation in Yemen The situation in Yemen Houthi supporters trample on a US flag during a gathering mobilizing more fighters into several Yemeni battlefronts, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen People carry the coffins of men, who were killed in the recent Saudi-led airstrikes during their funeral, in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen AP The situation in Yemen Pro-government fighters give food to Yemeni children on the road leading to the southwestern port city of Mokha. Yemeni rebels are putting up fierce resistance in a key Red Sea port city where they are encircled by pro-government force Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni stands in front of a graffiti protesting US military operations in war-affected Yemen, in Sana'a, Yemen. According to reports, US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen A Yemeni female fighter supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, takes part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen Yemeni female fighters supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, take part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A boy shouts slogans next to pro-Houthi fighters, who have been injured during recent fighting, during a rally held to honour those injured or maimed while fighting in Houthi ranks in Sanaa, Yemen Reuters The situation in Yemen Balls of fire and smoke rise from a Houthi-held military camp following alleged Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy looks on as Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy sits amidst the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa AFP/Getty The situation in Yemen Marine One with US President Donald Trump flies with a decoy and support helicopters to Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, for the dignified transfer of Navy Seal Chief Petty Officer William 'Ryan' Owens who was killed in Yemen Getty Images The situation in Yemen US President Donald Trump aboard the Marine One to greet the remains of a US military commando killed during a raid on the al Qaeda militant group in southern Yemen on Sunday, at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, US Reuters

Mr Smith added: “He should not be getting invited to address parliamentarians and think tanks to whitewash the atrocities that are taking place.