Hundreds of thousands of people took part in protests against the war across the world yesterday.

In Calcutta more than 150,000 people, including firemen, schoolchildren, teachers and Communist Party members, marched in India's largest anti-war protest. Some burnt effigies of President George Bush, others held placards reading "How many deaths per gallon?" and "USA: killer of innocent Iraqis".

Effigies of President Bush were also set alight in Peshawar in Pakistan, where about 70,000 turned out for a protest organised by hardline Islamist leaders.

Elsewhere in Asia, organisers said more than 250,000 people protested in Jakarta, Indonesia. Most were Muslims but there were also Christians carrying pictures of the Pope. Other demonstrators wore photographs of Iraqi civilian victims around their necks.

Up to 50,000 demonstrated in the Bangladeshi town of Cox's Bazar, while 10,000 South Korean workers marched in Seoul. In China, police allowed foreigners to march in front of the US embassy but stopped Chinese nationals protesting.

In Rabat, more than 200,000 Moroccans, some carrying fake weapons and bearing portraits of Saddam Hussein, marched through the streets. At least a dozen US and Israeli flags were burnt and riot police broke up the protest early after scuffles broke out.

In Spain, up to 60,000 protesters marched to a base in Rota used by the US military. Thousands more marched to military bases in Moron, Zaragoza, Albacete and Torrejon while thousands attended a peace concert in Barcelona.

Jose Maria Aznar, the Prime Minister, is one of the staunchest supporters of the US action against Iraq but he is out of step with public opinion. A survey published yesterday in El Pais newspaper showed his party was six points behind the opposition Socialists after supporting President Bush.

More than 10,000 people marched in Paris, watched by 5,000 police. About 5,000 Greek Cypriots marched to the British air base in Akrotiri, as hundreds of armed British soldiers and police in riot gear stood inside the wire fence.

Poland, which committed 200 soldiers to the war, saw its biggest demonstration yet, when 2,000 mainly young people marched to the American embassy in Warsaw, chanting "No blood for oil".

In the Netherlands, about 60 activists were arrested at a Dutch air force base near Volkel, 55 miles south-east of Amsterdam. Jos Klaren, a police spokesman, said they were charged with trespassing and would later be released. Mariette Moors, a spokeswoman for the demonstrators, said they entered the base to carry out a "citizens' inspection" of American nuclear missiles.

In Bulgaria, thousands marched through Sofia in the country's largest demonstration against the war so far. Organisers said 16,000 took part, reporters said there were about 5,000. Some protesters' slogans said "Bush and Blair to The Hague," a reference to the UN war crimes tribunal.

Turn-out at rallies in Britain yesterday was a tiny fraction of that at protests held before the invasion of Iraq, when anti-war feeling was more apparent.