Canary Wharf protests: Police officer 'punched in face' as masked protesters take part in anti-asylum march
A police officer was punched in the face and four people were arrested in Canary Wharf in east London during an anti-asylum protest.
The Metropolitan Police said the arrests during the protest on Sunday were for common assault, possession of drugs and assault on police and public order offences. The force said they had been "facilitating a peaceful anti-asylum protest on the Isle of Dogs" but said some masked protesters went into the Canary Wharf Shopping Centre at about 16:30 BST and "became aggressive towards police".
The officer who was punched did not suffer "significant injury", the Met said. A force spokesperson said 50 to 100 people were involved in the protest march from Manchester Road along Westferry Road E14.
They added: "We have a Section 60 AA in place for the Isle of Dogs south of the A1261 to prevent people concealing their identity with masks - failure to comply may lead to arrest. A Section 35 dispersal order is also in place in the same area directing protesters to leave."
A child "may have been affected" by synthetic pepper spray, police also said as protests spilled over. In a statement on Sunday night, the Met said: "Officers witnessed an assault by a protester on a member of the public inside Canary Wharf shopping centre.
"The suspect was immediately arrested by officers who used PAVA spray. We are aware other protesters and members of the public, including a child, may have been temporarily affected by the use of PAVA given the density of the crowds in the area."
The unrest came as a number of anti-asylum protests and counter-protests took place across England on Sunday, including in Epping and Norwich. It follows the Court of Appeal's decision on Friday to overturn a temporary injunction which would have prevented asylum seekers from being housed at The Bell Hotel in Epping.
On Sunday protesters again gathered outside the hotel housing asylum seekers in Epping. They stood behind metal barriers across the road from the Bell Hotel, holding Union flags and waving at passing cars that sounded their horns.
A dispersal order, which covers the main high street and the area surrounding the Bell Hotel will be in place until 04:00 BST Monday morning, the Met Police said.