Protesters gathered outside the Cambodian embassy yesterday to condemn the violent crackdown on striking garment workers in the country.

Four people were killed and many others injured by military police after striking for improved working conditions and the minimum wage in the country last week.

Over 40 protesters gathered outside the embassy in north London calling for an end to the repression and the recognition of unions' right to strike in Cambodia.

The protest took place as part of an international week of action, with demonstrations staged outside Cambodian embassies in Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey and the United States.

Cambodian garment workers began striking on December 24, following a government announcement that the minimum wage would only rise by £9 to £60 a month, far short of workers' demands for a living wage of £100 a month.

The garment industry in Cambodia employs 700,000 people, 90 per cent of whom are women, producing clothes for a huge range of British high-street companies, including H&M, Gap, Marks and Spencer, Tesco and Levis.

On January 2 police blocked the route of a workers' march, then attacked workers, union organisers and bystanders.

The following day armed forces fired live ammunition at workers, killing at least four people and injuring many more.

War on Want campaigner Murray Worthy was at the solidarity protest in north London.

He declared that "the violence and repression used against demonstrators by the Cambodian government is completely unjustifiable" and said the protest had got its message across.

Mr Worthy told the Star: "Two of us were invited into the embassy to hand in a letter of protest. We were told our letter and concerns would be passed onto the Cambodian government. They said they saw the value in bringing international attention to issues as it puts pressure on the government."

People & Planet spokesman Rob Abrams reserved some of the blame for multinationals.

He said: "The message coming remains the same undemocratic mantra: 'If you treat your workers with respect, we see that as a burden on our profits.'

"This is a flagrant disregard of human rights - one we will keep working to end."