Three men were arrested after police officers were injured during a protest outside a hotel used to house asylum seekers in Epping.
The protest on Friday outside the Bell Hotel came after the Government won a court challenge which means asylum seekers can continue to be housed at the Essex hotel.
Essex Police said one man was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder, a second man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, and a third man was arrested on suspicion of drink driving after a car was driven on the wrong side of the road towards a police cordon.
All three remain in custody, police said.
The force added on Friday evening that a group which came to Epping after attending a protest in Cheshunt “remain in the area” and that a dispersal order has been put in place until 6am on Saturday.
Assistant chief constable Glen Pavelin said: “Protest is a democratic right, and we’ll always do all we can to facilitate that, for every group seeking to make their voice heard.
“The overwhelming majority of people in Epping tonight clearly wanted their voices to be heard and they did that safely and without the need for a police response.
“However, the right to protest does not include a right to commit crime and tonight a small number of people were arrested. Two officers sustained injuries which are thankfully not serious.
“Officers will remain in the area in the coming hours to ensure the dispersal order which remains in place is adhered to.”
ACC Pavelin added: “The strength of feeling in Epping throughout the summer is not lost on me. My continued plea to those people who want their voices to be heard is to please do that safely and peacefully.”
The Bell Hotel in Epping became the focal point of several protests and counter-protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl last month. He has denied the charges.
Somani Hotels, which owns the Epping building, and the Home Office won their challenge against the High Court ruling on Friday, which would have stopped 138 asylum seekers from being housed there.
On Friday evening, a small number of protesters carrying England and Union flags gathered outside, and police officers guarded the entrance.
One protester who appeared outside the hotel told the PA News Agency the Court of Appeal ruling could result in civil unrest.
Carmen, who wore a pink top that said “Pink Ladies Say, The Only Way is Epping, Send Them Home” on it, said: “We come every week – march, protest – and today’s ruling is just devastating, absolutely devastating. It will probably cause civil unrest.”
In nearby Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, a video posted on YouTube showed dozens of protesters behind barriers near the Delta Marriott hotel, which has also been used to house asylum seekers.
Police stood in front of the barriers and some roads were closed with counter-protesters from Stand Up To Racism also in attendance.
At one point, protesters appeared to clash with officers.
Councillor Corina Gander, the leader of Broxbourne Council in Hertfordshire, said in a statement on Thursday that she “remains concerned” about the impact the use of the Delta Marriott hotel is having on local services.
The council said it has taken legal advice about use of the hotel and said it intends to take enforcement action.
“This action will help us to meet our objective of seeking the closure of the Delta Marriott hotel for housing asylum seekers,” Cllr Gander said.
