A police officer was allegedly punched in the face and four people were arrested at an anti-immigration protest march in London on Sunday.
The Metropolitan police said they had been facilitating a peaceful demonstration along Manchester Road and Westferry Road on the Isle of Dogs before “a small number of masked protesters then became aggressive towards members of the public and police”.
The group had reportedly moved into Canary Wharf shopping centre at about 4.30pm.
A section 60 AA order was issued to “prevent people concealing their identity with masks”, as well as a section 35 dispersal order which directed protesters to leave.
Both orders last until midnight, police said on Sunday evening.
The Met said: “Arrests were made for common assault by a protester on a member of the public, possession of class A and B drugs, assault on police/public order offences and failure to disperse.
“One of our officers was punched in the face – luckily they did not suffer significant injury.”
The protest, involving between 50 and 100 people, began outside the Britannia International hotel in Canary Wharf on Sunday afternoon.
Some anti-immigration demonstrators were seen carrying union flags and placards.
About 100 counter-protesters held banners bearing slogans including “stand up to racism” and “stop the far right”. The group also chanted: “Say it loud and say it clear, refugees are welcome here.”
Commander Adam Slonecki, in charge of policing London this weekend, said: “This afternoon we have unfortunately seen more disorder, following the five arrests made yesterday in the West Drayton area.
“Today’s protest saw many community members attend, including women and children, and we worked to ensure the safety of those there to peacefully represent their views.
“Those who arrive at protests masked and intent on causing trouble will continue to be dealt with robustly at future protests.”
He added: “We remain in the area to deter any further disorder and provide reassurance to local residents and businesses.”
Elsewhere on Sunday, three people were arrested after hundreds of protesters gathered again outside the Bell hotel in Epping calling for the removal of asylum seekers housed there.
Essex police said a woman was arrested on suspicion of breaching a section 14 order, requiring demonstrators to stay in a prescribed area during the protest.
A man was also arrested “on suspicion of inciting racial hatred after an emblem was reported to have been set alight” on Friday, while another was arrested for breaching the section 14 order in place after reportedly refusing to leave when the assembly on Sunday had ended.
Police added that all three remained in custody on Sunday evening.
Several protesters were seen waving union and St George’s cross flags during Sunday’s protest.
“Send them home, please protect me,” read a T-shirt worn by one young girl, while a boy held up a sign saying “deport foreign criminals”.
Police put in place a dispersal order “to prevent and deal with any antisocial behaviour”, and a section 60 AA order, both of which remained in place on Sunday evening.
The Bell hotel became a focal point for protests in July after an asylum seeker staying there was accused of sexually assaulting two 14-year-old girls. He has denied the allegation, telling a court on Wednesday that he did not touch the girls.
The latest protests come two days after an appeal court overturned a temporary injunction that had blocked the use of the hotel to house asylum seekers.
Stuart Hooper, assistant chief constable with Essex police, said: “We’ve consistently said that we will always seek to facilitate lawful protest but that does not include a right to commit crime, and we’ll take a firm approach to anyone intent on doing that.
“And, to reiterate to the public, the strength of feeling in Epping is not lost on me – or anyone in Essex police – and I would urge anyone who wants to make their voices heard to please do that peacefully and within the parameters outlined.”
