Two arrested during clashes with anti-racism protesters in Chatham

It comes after a week of violent riots in other parts of the UK involving gatherings of those with far-right views.

Transcript

00:00A scene that's been familiar over the past few days across the UK, but for the first

00:16time last night here in Kent, police lined the streets in Chatham with groups chanting

00:22from either side of the road, from either side of an argument now centred on immigration.

00:28After days of violent protests and riots across the country, this anti-racism group gathered

00:33outside Chatham's Innovation Centre, chanting the words, Nazi scum.

00:38When I say Nazi, you say scum. Nazi scum.

00:45Bystanders watched on. As numbers started to grow, a handful of people emerged shouting

00:49racist slurs and chanting far-right views. Some waved union jacks.

00:55Many in the area just appeared to be members of the general public who were watching events

01:00unfold.

01:01Police made two arrests and issued others with warnings. They had additional powers

01:05to deal with anyone suspected of being involved in crime or disorder.

01:09But no disorder was actually reported across the county, but while we were there, stones,

01:15a bottle and other objects were thrown at the press and police.

01:20After more than 100 people were pushed to the other side of the dual carriageway, tensions

01:24eased and any wider disorder was prevented.

01:28So as you can see, the police have finally managed to move on the last remaining people.

01:33There's probably about 40 people left there and it is 20 past 10 of course. This all started

01:40just before 8pm, so it's been quite a short protest and counter-protest and finally the

01:47last remaining people are being moved on by the police.

01:52Swift and robust action was promised and seemingly delivered by Kent Police, but residents will

01:57be wondering about the risk of further unrest.

02:01We have to be mindful that potentially there are protests oncoming and they might not be

02:06advertised either. So I'm regularly getting briefings from the Home Office as well as

02:11Kent Police. Obviously they have operational independence, they're not going to give me

02:15every piece of information that they get and they have their own ways of sourcing information.

02:20Communities need to be mindful that the protests, and I say that again loosely because some

02:25of these aren't really protests, they've turned into something else, might be occurring. But

02:30I can give you assurances that Kent Police are working really hard to identify any potential

02:36issues and to challenge them as they arise.

02:40The hope now, from politicians, police and those outside the Innovation Centre last night,

02:46is that any far-right rioters are deterred from turning up in Kent and across the country.

02:52Abbey Hook for KMTV in Chatham.