“Our officers have been at a planned protest in Epping throughout the afternoon today, and are now aware of some protestors using fireworks and eggs in the crowds,” said a police spokesperson.
“We have closed a section of High Road, Epping, for the safety of the public and those protesting.”
The spokesperson added: “One man has already been arrested at today’s protest on suspicion of affray.”
Chris Whitbread, the Conservative leader of Epping Forest District Council, had called for an end to a hotel in the area being used to house asylum seekers.
He was joined by two local Conservative MPs – Epping Forest’s Neil Hudson and Alex Burghart, who represents Brentwood and Ongar. They claimed the Home Office did not understand the “seriousness of this situation”.
It followed the arrest of an asylum seeker on suspicion of alleged sexual assaults in the town.