The pre-Gaddafi Libyan flag has been raised on the flagpole of the Libyan embassy amid cheering by Libyan anti-government protesters in Attard.

The ambassador said he would stay on and said he accepted any flag which represented the Libyan people.

Protesters first met the ambassador and draped the flag on the embassy balcony before raising it on the flagpole replacing the all-green Libyan flag.

The protesters said before the meeting that they wanted to raise the flag peacefully.

After half an hour they emerged from the building with the ambassador but the official Green flag remained on the flagpole. They said the ambassador wanted to strike the official flag but the Consul did not.

While the ambassador spoke to journalists, however, protesters scrambled up the facade of the building, draped the monarchy flag on the balcony and then raised it on the flagpole amid wild cheering from the crowd of Libyans waiting outside. The official flag was thrown down from the roof.