AUCKLAND: Police evacuated the stadium hosting the Auckland Classic women's WTA event here Tuesday due to a bomb scare as a handful of anti-Israel demonstrators picketed the venue.

Protesters denied any link to the scare and police said they had found the owner of an unattended bag that sparked the evacuation, and that normal procedure had been followed.

Play started 20 minutes late after the all-clear was given, delaying the appearance of Israel's Shahar Peer, who went on to beat unseeded Slovenian Polona Hercog 7-5, 6-3.

A spokesman for the eight protesters, John Minto, said the Global Peace and Justice Auckland group had sent a letter to Peer asking her to withdraw from the tournament because of Israel's policies towards the Palestinians.

The group launched a similar protest outside the ASB Tennis Centre last year but left halfway through Peer's opening match. This time the group plans to stay as long as the 22-year-old remains in the tournament.

"We will definitely be here if she progresses," Minto said.