ZAGREB -- Some 500 people staged a earsplitting protest against the U.S.-led war in Iraq in the Croatian capital Zagreb on Saturday, the largest held here since the conflict started two weeks ago, AFP reported.

During the protest dubbed "With Noise Against the War", the demonstrators marched through the city making the loudest possible noise with their whistles, drums, rattles, tambourines and trumpets, in order to show their opposition to the war.

After the brief march, the protestors, carrying banners which read "Enough of Wars", "Osama Bush Laden", "Butchers Go Home", gathered for one hour in front of the U.S. Embassy, under heavy police presence.

"In the 21st century no one should use force to reach a solution," Ali Khadim, a 40-year-old Iraqi from Bagdad, who has been living in Zagreb for the past 22 years, told AFP.

Khadim carried a banner reading "It Is Not a Liberation but Rather the Killing of the Iraqi People", and showing photos of killed Iraqi children and civilians.

No incidents were reported during the two-hour protest, which ended around 02:00 P.M. (12oo GMT).

It was organized by a civilian initiative, dubbed "Enough of Wars", gathering some 30 non-governmental organizations.

In mid-February they joined worldwide protests against the U.S.-led intervention in Iraq, organizing demonstrations throughout Croatia. Some 10,000 protestors rallied in Zagreb at the time.

Croatia was among 10 Central and Eastern European countries in the so-called Vilnius group of NATO candidates that signed a controversial statement in February backing the U.S. stance on Iraq.

According to opinion polls the vast majority of Croatians oppose the military operation in Iraq.