Hundreds join protests in Manchester as fights break out, supermarket 'stormed' and trams brought to standstill

Fights broke out, a supermarket closed and public transport was at a standstill in Manchester following a day of protests. Hundreds of people descended on the city centre as a number of demonstrations were held on Saturday (August 3).

In the morning, close to 150 people joined one protest marching under the banner 'Stand Up For Your Country: Enough is Enough'. They were met with a counter rally which featured around 350 demonstrators.

Greater Manchester Police soon issued a dispersal order for the whole of Manchester city centre until 7pm which gave them extra powers to deal with anyone taking part in or causing anti-social behaviour.

READ MORE: Fighting breaks out in Piccadilly Gardens amid Manchester city centre protests

Officers did their best to keep the demonstrators apart with two rows of policemen and women deployed to separate the groups. However, video footage captured by the Manchester Evening News showed scuffles breaking out in the Gardens.

Metal fences hurled while punches were thrown by a number of people in the melee. A large number of police officers could be seen attempting to keep order and dispersing people from the area.

It has not been confirmed whether those involved in the fighting were part of the protests, but the violence broke out after one person appeared to have been 'chased from within the crowd' of demonstrators.

Just around the corner from Piccadilly Gardens, a Sainsbury's on Mosley Street was forced to close after it was 'stormed' by a gang of masked yobs. Shortly before 3.30pm a group of men wearing masks and balaclavas were seen running down Mosley Street chanting the name of the far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

According to eyewitnesses, some of the group then ran into a