A police officer was injured as he tried to break up a 200-strong street party in east London of people celebrating Eid.
The incident happened shortly before midnight on Thursday in Ilford.
Metropolitan Police officers swooped after worried calls from the public who had spotted a large group of people gathered on the street ahead of the religious festival.
Officers approached people in the crowd and urged them to go home, however, as the people dispersed a fight broke out.
A group of 200 people gathered in Ilford, London ahead of this weekend’s Eid celebrations
Police asked the group to disperse after arriving at the scene around 11.30pm Thursday
Police rushed to break up the fight between the two groups and one officer suffered a head injury.
One man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence and assaulting an emergency worker.
Chief Superintendent Stephen Clayman of the Met’s East Area Command said: ‘While we accept that celebrations take place, and we have no desire to spoil them for the community, if they descend into violence we absolutely will step in.
‘A number of calls were received last night from concerned members of the public and while we appreciate this is a time of excitement and celebration for some, the sight and sound of such a large group was concerning and even distressing for others.
‘That this size of gathering has taken place during a pandemic is concerning. I remind all of our communities to respect each other and ensure that the government guidelines around social distancing are followed.
‘Following a work day of protecting the public, one of my officers has had to return home to his family with a head injury. This is beyond unacceptable and I would like to be very clear that anyone assaulting an officer in the course of his or her duty will be arrested and placed before the courts.’
Scotland Yard confirmed the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards has been notified and will review body worn cameras.
One man was arrested after two groups of people started fighting leading to one arrest
A man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer
Last night’s disturbance happened just as the Government announced a raft of new restrictions across the North West of England due to a spike in Covid-19.
The affected area spreads across Greater Manchester, parts of east Lancashire and West Yorkshire.
However, the government were accused of rushing through the restrictions ahead of Eid – where Muslim families traditionally meet up in large groups.
The new restrictions apply to Greater Manchester, including the City of Manchester, Trafford, Stockport, Oldham, Bury, Wigan, Bolton, Tameside, Rochdale and Salford.
They also apply to Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale in Lancashire, and Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees in West Yorkshire.
Similar restrictions will also apply to Leicester, which saw the first so-called ‘local lockdown’ imposed on June 29.
Worshippers arriving at Bradford’s Grand Mosque, pictured, were advised of social distancing rules while they arrived to pray today
The government faced criticism of implementing strict restrictions on the eve of Eid because it is such an important date in Islamic calendar and a time for Muslim families to meet and celebrate with each other
Mohammed Ashrif Tahir Nushai, 84, a community leader in Bradford, spoke out as the Government was blasted for imposing a new lockdown in Manchester, east Lancashire and West Yorkshire at the start of Eid.
Mr Nushai told MailOnline: ‘Sadly, there are people within our community who are not taking coronavirus seriously enough. Since the easing of the main lockdown, a lot of people have been visiting relatives and friends and attending events in each other’s homes with very little thought of keeping themselves safe.
‘We have been trying to get them to understand the message and take greater precautions but what can we do? Now, in Bradford we find ourselves in a very dangerous situation with coronavirus cases on the rise.’
Akhtar Mahmood, a member of the mosque committee added: ‘One of the big problems we have had is of people going to pay their respects at the homes of those who have recently died. We lost a member of our congregation two weeks ago and there were 50 people gathered at his house to express their sympathies.’ A single road in Bradford registered an astonishing 17 coronavirus cases within six days, it has emerged.
On Friday morning Mr Hancock told the BBC that two households can still meet ‘at a social distance in a public place outdoors’ such as a park, where there is lots of space, but meeting another household in pub gardens or outdoor restaurant space is not allowed in the newly restricted area of the North West.
Muslims celebrating Eid in the affected areas are being urged not to host or visit friends and family in each other’s homes or gardens and not to meet friends and family in other venues – including restaurants or cafes.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock, pictured, announced the new restrictions late on Thursday night affecting the lives of more than four million people. Prime Minister Boris Johnson later announced a slowdown in efforts to reopen the economy due to the threat of a second spike
The Government has said it will pass new laws to enforce the changes, which will mean police can take action against those who break the rules, including asking people to disperse and issuing £100 fines, which could double if further offences are committed.
According to the most recent figures from Public Health England (PHE) the rate of infection is increasing across 13 of the 19 local authorities in the areas where the new measures are being imposed.
In Blackburn with Darwen, the rate has risen from 83.3 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to July 20 to 89.3 in the seven days to July 27. A total of 133 new cases have been recorded.
Leicester has the second highest seven-day rate despite it falling from 67.8 per 100,000 people to 60.2 over the same period, with 214 new cases.
Over the same period the rate has also increased in Manchester, Burnley, Pendle, Bradford, Calderdale, Oldham, Bury, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan, but fell in Hyndburn, Rossendale, Kirklees, Bolton and Rochdale.
Rochdale, Oldham, Blackburn and Pendle have been on a PHE watchlist as an “area of concern” after elevated rates of infection.