Extra police as protesters face off in Norwich city centre

Police formed rows between the protest groups (Image: Dan Grimmer)

That demonstration which began near Lloyd's Bank, which was closed for the day, was by far the larger of the two.

An anti-racism protester (Image: Dan Grimmer)

It involved hundreds of people, was organised by Protest With Pride and Norwich Stand Up To Racism.

The anti-racism protesters (Image: Dan Grimmer)

The second, much smaller protest, started later and involved only about 30 people. It was organised by Students Against Tyranny.

Norfolk police formed rows in the centre of Gentleman’s Walk as the two protest groups faced each other.

At about 2.15pm extra police arrived from Bethel Street police station as the stand-off continued.

During the early stages of the larger protest, the focus was on the recent riots which have happened elsewhere in the country.

Speakers, who included Norwich South Labour MP Clive Lewis, stressed that Norwich had historically welcomed refugees and immigrants.

Nick O’Brien, from Norwich Pride, told the crowd: “Immigration has always happened and it is what makes our country great.”

The other group, who arrived later, gave speeches further up Gentleman’s Walk about keeping men out of women's spaces.

The Students Against Tyranny protest (Image: Dan Grimmer)

As the afternoon went on, the groups moved closer to each other, resulting in a stand-off close to WH Smiths.

The groups faced each other, with about 30 police officers stood in rows between them.

Meanwhile, as the protesters chanted, played music and sang songs, shoppers continued to stream past them.

The groups peacefully dispersed at just after 3pm.

Earlier in the week, there was a demonstration against the far-right outside The Brook Hotel in Bowthorpe.

The hotel was one of the locations leaked on a list of more than 100 far-right rallies planned across the country, following riots in some towns and cities.

Dozens of police also attended, but no far-right protest occurred.