On Saturday, about 3,000 police officers were deployed to keep a group of 500 extremists of the right-wing English Defense League, or EDL, apart from a larger group of anti-racist protesters, including Unite Against Fascism.

Police formed lines across the streets to enforce a ban on the EDL marching to the borough of Tower Hamlets, which has a large Muslim community, and to keep the counter-demonstrators in their assigned area.

Police imposed the geographic restrictions on the EDL march as well as a time restriction, fearing a risk to public order. The EDL lost a court battle on Friday to overturn the ban.

A police spokesman said about 150 counter-protesters were arrested after a group broke away and headed towards Tower Bridge where the EDL march was to end.

The spokesman said 14 others, mainly from the EDL, were arrested during the day for violent disorder, possession of knives and fireworks, and one 30-year-old man for inciting others to break the conditions set for the protest.

The EDL said on its Twitter account that the group's leader, Tommy Robinson, was arrested "for incitement".

A report said, around half of mosques and Muslim centers in Britain have been subjected to Islamophobic attacks since 9/11, especially after Woolwich attack in London.

British academics warned about the wave of Islamophoic raids as the far-right English Defense League prepares to march to the south-London scene of Drummer Lee Rigby’s murder.

NTJ/SHI