Two arrested in Asian attack on police in Luton

LONDON (Reuters) - A group of 200 Asians attacked a police patrol team with fireworks in Luton, north of London, where a right-wing march had been planned, police said on Sunday.

In a statement Bedfordshire Police said 50 officers and six police horses had been called in the afternoon after a small team of constables and police community support volunteers had been attacked by about "200 members of the younger Asian community" in the Bury Park area of Luton.

Two people were arrested but nobody was injured, a spokeswoman for the police told Reuters.

The incident occurred on the day far right-wing groups had planned to march through the town.

A three-month blanket banning order on marching in the town, approved by the home secretary a week ago, prevented the march. It is the third banning order of the kind issued in the town in the last four years, the police spokeswoman said.

Chief Superintendent Andy Frost said: "There has been extensive public consultation and work behind the scenes to ensure Luton was not the chosen venue for any kind of march or protest but it would seem that for no apparent reason disorder has broken out in Bury Park."

Policing of the area returned to "normal levels" at around 7 pm, "with the disorder dealt with and the crowds dispersed." police said.

(Reporting by Cecilia Valente)