Vandals have attacked two war memorials in central London.

The RAF Bomber Command War Memorial and the Animals in War Memorial were both daubed with graffiti.

Although the words written on the two memorials have now been covered up, it is thought "Islam" has been written on each of them.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "At 5am this morning police discovered graffiti on both the RAF Bomber Command War Memorial in Green Park and the Animals in War Memorial on Park Lane.

"Royal Parks' officers and Westminster police are investigating. There have been no arrests at present."

The incidents are being treated as criminal damage, police said.

The Bomber Command Memorial remembers the sacrifice and bravery of the 55,573 RAF crew who lost their lives in the Second World War and was unveiled by the Queen last summer.

Just last week Dame Judi Dench described herself as being ''very proud'' to be the first patron of a new campaign to preserve it for generations to come.

The Animals in War Memorial is "a powerful and moving tribute to all the animals that served, suffered and died alongside the British, Commonwealth and Allied forces in the wars and conflicts of the 20th century", according to the Animals in War Fund website.

The monument was unveiled by the Princess Royal in November 2004 - the 90th anniversary of the start of World War I.

The fund's website says the £2 million needed to build the monument came from "a national appeal and the generosity of many individual donors, charities and companies".

Meanwhile,  supporters of the English Defence League marched through central London today.

The EDL demonstrators pushed their way through a police cordon as they made their way to Trafalgar Square.

They chanted "Muslim killers off our streets" and "There's only one Lee Rigby" in tribute to the soldier killed in Woolwich, south-east London last Wednesday.

The protesters held placards that read "Blood on your hands" and "GB RIP".

The demonstrators marched through Admiralty Arch and on to Parliament Square.

They were escorted by Metropolitan Police officers and vans, while a force helicopter followed overhead.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said Whitehall was closed to traffic because of "a number of demonstrations".

Around 1,000 EDL protesters then made their way along Whitehall before taking a position on the pavement across the road from Downing Street.

A much smaller group of anti-fascist demonstrators gathered opposite them holding an "EDL Racists" banner.

Both sides traded insults but were kept apart by officers and barriers.

The EDL supporters chanted: "We hate Cameron."

EDL leader Tommy Robinson told the demonstration: "This is a day of respect for our Armed Forces."

The crowd repeatedly chanted "coward" after he claimed Prime Minister David Cameron was on holiday "because he doesn't care".

Mr Robinson added: "They've had their Arab Spring. This is time for the English Spring."

The EDL supporters and anti-fascists hurled dozens of glass bottles towards each other.

Police officers dressed in riot gear intervened to stop them throwing missiles.