Twelve people were arrested during clashes between police and protesters at an anti-Islamic terrorism rally and anti-fascist counter-demonstrations in central London.

The protest was held under the banner “London Under Attack” Saturday by far-right party Britain First, along with the anti-immigration English Defence League (EDL), to “protest against radical Islamic terrorism.”

READ MORE: London police release all 12 suspects arrested in wake of Westminster attack

Counter-protesters, organized by the Unite Against Fascism group, marched alongside the demonstrators who they deemed to be anti-Islamic.

“Both groups are notorious Islamophobes whose concern is not with the victims or their relatives, but only lie in racism,” United Against Fascism said in a Facebook statement.

READ MORE: Islamophobia up after Westminster attack, say police... but Muslims disagree

London’s Metropolitan Police were forced to separate the groups that gathered near Trafalgar Square, in a tense stand-off heightened by emotion following the March 22 terrorist attack.



The march was held ten days after the Westminster attack that left four people dead and dozens injured. British-born attacker Khalid Masood rammed pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before slamming his vehicle into the gates of the parliament buildings and killing a police officer.

Protesters from Unite Against Fascism in Trafalgar Square. pic.twitter.com/jtQB3VtsnT — David Vella (@indeox) April 1, 2017

Protesters arrive in central London with their faces covered ahead of a demo by Britain First and the English Defence League. pic.twitter.com/kpxDriDUj7 — Catherine Wylie (@wyliecatherine) April 1, 2017