LONDON, May 9 (Reuters) - Barclays' annual shareholder gathering was disrupted by activists protesting against violence in Gaza, with the bank's Chairman Nigel Higgins requesting they be ejected from the meeting taking place in Glasgow on Thursday.

"We are totally prepared to answer questions on this topic but there is no point engaging in megaphone diplomacy," Higgins told protesters who shouted allegations about the bank's links to the financing of defence firms that produce equipment used by the Israeli Defence Force.

Barclays said earlier this month it does not invest its own money in companies that supply weapons used by Israel in Gaza.

Chief Executive C.S. Venkatakrishnan urged activists to reserve their questions until later in the meeting, as he attempted to address shareholders. (Reporting by Lawrence White, editing by Sinead Cruise)