Police arrest 18 protestors in Manchester

Police have arrested at least 18 people in the English city of Manchester after about 2,000 protesters took to the streets in two political rallies.

Most of those arrested were accused of public order offenses, Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said in a statement on Saturday.

"Today we've made 18 arrests, many of whom were thought to be agitators and trouble-makers," said Shewan.

"The presence of so many protesters in the city has proved a challenge and while many have turned out to protest peacefully, the police reaction has been necessary in order to prevent the few hell-bent on violent confrontation," he added.

The English Defense League (EDL) staged a protest in Piccadilly Gardens to campaign against Islamic extremists. The rally prompted a planned counter-protest by Unite Against Fascism (UAF).

Both sides faced each other in Piccadilly Gardens but were separated by a line of police officers, dogs and mounted police.