A group of Colombians today took over the country's consulate in Sydney to protest against what they called the American invasion of Colombia and a Washington-backed plan to wipe out the drug trade.
A spokesman for the group of about 25 Colombians residents in Australia said they represented an organisation calling itself The Bolivarian Movement for a Second Independence, and were demanding an end to US influence over Bogota.
"We are protesting against Plan Colombia, we are protesting against the Yankee invasion of Latin America, and the American invasion of Colombia," the man said, declining to be identified.
Plan Colombia is a multibillion-dollar offensive against Colombia's thriving cocaine and heroin trade, and is also aimed at making peace with the country's leftist rebels.
The United States is offering considerable support, mainly in the form of military training and helicopters.
Australian police said they were responding to an incident but gave no further details.