FIVE
police officers were injured as today's rally in support of
Tommy Robinson spiralled out of control, with violent clashes breaking out in the heart of
London.
Thousands of protestors took to the streets of the capital to show their support for Robinson, who was jailed for contempt of court after live-streaming a video outside Leeds Crown Court last month.
Shocking footage shows protestors chasing police down a street in central London, as officers attempted to fall back to a new position from which to contain the marchers.
Some protestors were shown hitting a police van with torn-down street signs, while traffic cones and other items were thrown at officers.
Scotland Yard said five police officers were injured with five arrests made. An investigation is now underway.
Police said one person was arrested for possession of an offensive weapon, two were arrested for assaults on police officers, one person was arrested for possession of a flare and a fifth person was arrested for criminal damage to a bus.
The injuries suffered by the five officers are not deemed to be "serious", the Met said.
A counter-protest organised by campaign groups Stand Up to Racism and Unite Against Fascisim has also been held in London.
Protestors
marched from Trafalgar Square to Whitehall, where far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders addressed the crowd.
They chanted slogans and waved banners before listening to speeches by Mr Wilders and Ukip MEP Gerard Batten.
Photos taken later show police and protestors clashing in violent scenes, with scuffles breaking out by metal barriers.
Other photos show police using batons in an attempt to bring crowds under control.
Rows of riot police blocked the gate down the Mall leading to Buckingham Palace where the Royal Family gathered on the balcony after celebrating Trooping the Colour just hours before.
Dozens of supporters crowded on to an open-top Megabus sightseeing vehicle waving flags, while one supporter posed on the roof in a Donald Trump mask.
By 6pm, officers had removed protesters from the bus and had kettled many of the remaining protesters on the traffic island overhead.
Other Robinson supporters crowded on to the steps of Nelson's Column and continued to chant slogans.
Officers later said the demonstration had ended at 5pm.
A spokeswoman for megasightseeing.com, whose bus was caught up in today's rally, said: "Our London sightseeing bus was on its normal route when it got caught up in the demonstrations.
"The bus was stormed by demonstrators and the driver and a small number of customers got off.
"The demonstrators have caused a significant amount of damage to the bus which meant it had to be towed away.
"We have reported this to the police and will help them with any investigations."
Robinson was jailed for contempt of court after he used social media to broadcast details of a trial which is subject to blanket reporting restrictions.
Leeds Crown Court heard how Robinson filmed himself and people involved in the case, in footage that was watched around 250,000 times within hours of being posted on Facebook.
Robinson, who was listed by his real name Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon on court documents, was sentenced to 13 months in jail on the same day as his arrest.
He was given 10 months in jail for contempt of court, and an additional three months for beaching a previous suspended sentence.