LONDON/DUBAI: Two protesters climbed onto the roof of the Bahraini Embassy in London Monday, unfurling a banner in a protest aimed at the Gulf state’s ruling family.An Associated Press photographer saw two men waving a flag on the building’s roof. On Twitter, a user identifying himself as Moussa Abd Ali said the activists had occupied what he called the “Al Khalifa den,” a reference to Bahrain’s ruling family headed by Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa.

A banner draped over the building carried pictures of hunger striking human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and senior Shiite opposition leader Hassan Mushaima, both of whom were sentenced to life in prison in Bahrain after last year’s pro-democracy protests there.

“Over 60 days on hunger strike,” the banner read, in reference to Khawaja.

Khawaja, who holds both Danish and Bahraini citizenship, is the focus of an international campaign aimed at securing his release. Daily rallies by his supporters in Bahrain have frequently drawn a violent response from security forces, while Denmark’s prime minister has described the activist’s condition as “very critical.”

Bahrain denies that Khawaja’s health is failing.

London’s Metropolitan Police said Monday that it was preparing a statement on the embassy incident. Rescue officials said they had two ambulances standing by at Belgrave Square, which is also home to the embassies of Syria and Germany, among others.

Phone calls to the Bahraini Embassy were not answered.

The country is in the grips of a 14-month uprising aimed at weakening the powers of the kingdom’s Sunni monarchy, and the Gulf state has recently seen a spike in violence.

The growing unrest, which has included vigilante-style attacks in some Shiite areas, could complicate efforts by Formula One to carry out the April 22 Bahrain Grand Prix.

The race was called off last year amid security fears, and Bahrain’s leaders are pushing hard to bring back the event as a sign of stability in the island nation.

Hundreds of Bahrainis demonstrated Sunday after a Shiite opposition call for a week of pro-democracy protests to coincide with the Grand Prix.

Waving red and white Bahraini flags and holding pictures of Khawaja, the protesters called for the ouster of the kingdom’s prime minister. “Leave Khalifa, leave,” they chanted as they marched in the Shiite village of Bilad al-Qadim.

Sunday’s protest was the first in a week of daily demonstrations and sit-ins called by Al-Wefaq, Bahrain’s largest Shiite bloc, planned to last through to the end of the controversial race.

Al-Wefaq said the pro-democracy protests under the banner of “steadfastness and challenge” would take place in Shiite villages on the outskirts of Manama, including one Tuesday near Bahrain’s international airport.

Al-Wefaq said there are no plans for protests near the Sakhir circuit where the race will be held.

However, the “Revolution of February 14” youth group, whose members have repeatedly clashed with security forces, has called for “three days of rage” from April 20 to 22 in protest at the decision by motorsport chiefs to go ahead with the race.

Al-Wefaq leader Abdul-Jalil Khalil told AFP by telephone the bloc would not try to prevent the event but was organizing protests to “take advantage of this week’s race to highlight our political and democratic demands.”

International Crisis Group said in a statement Monday that Bahrain’s hosting of the Grand Prix is a “time bomb.”

“Beneath a facade of normalization, Bahrain is sliding toward another dangerous eruption of violence,” the think tank said, urging the government to heed calls for reform.