Violence erupted in several English cities on Saturday amid anti-immigrant protests, as crowds of far-right activists scuffled with the police and counterprotesters in the northern cities of Liverpool, Hull and Nottingham, among other locations.

Tensions have simmered in communities across Britain in the wake of a stabbing in the northern town of Southport on Monday, as misinformation over the identity of the attacker has swirled online. The knife attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga class for elementary school-aged girls stunned Britain and ignited days of anti-immigrant riots in multiple cities that were incited by far-right provocateurs. Increasingly, the demonstrations have drawn counter-protests in communities across the country.

In Liverpool, a city near Southport, where Monday’s stabbing took place, police vehicles were damaged as protesters threw bricks and chanted “stop the boats” — a reference to asylum seekers who arrive in small boats in the English Channel — and antifascist groups confronted them on Saturday.

“A number of officers have been injured as they deal with serious disorder in Liverpool city center,” the Merseyside Police, the force responsible for the region, said in a statement. “This behavior, which puts the public and our officers in harm’s way, will not be tolerated. And we will be arresting those responsible.”

In Leeds, right-wing protesters scuffled with antiracist protesters, though the situation remained largely peaceful as evening neared. In Hull, three police officers were injured and four people were arrested amid disorder in the city center, said the Humberside Police, which oversees the area.