The South East Alliance group held a protest in front of Lunar House, on Wellesley Road in what a passer-by called a 'surreal event'

The South East Alliance held a three hour protest in front of Lunar House, the headquarters of the Home Office's Headquarters for Immigration and Visas in  Wellesley Road, on Saturday (May 6).

The group describes itself on its website as a ‘pro British pro-English street movement’.

Photographs from the scene show a handful of South East Alliance protestors carrying placards and flags surrounded by police officers.

They appeared to have been greatly outnumbered by counter protesters from anti-facist groups.

A heavy police presence dominated the area in what a passer-by described as a ‘surreal event’.

The witness said: “It was going on for a while, I noticed that there was a huge police operation. There was concern that the more anti-migration people, would have a violent demonstration. It was surreal really”

The protesters marched from East Croydon, down to George Street and Central Croydon.

There was severe gridlock and delays as protesters had a stand-off with police outside Boxpark in East Croydon, which ended peacefully.

Disruption hit the tram network too, with TfL suspending the service between East Croydon and Reeves Corner from 1.45pm and reducing it from 3.29pm between Sandilands and Reeves Corner until 3.50pm.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: “Members of the South East Alliance held a planned anti-immigration protest in Croydon town centre outside Lunar House, Wellesley Road.  A group of counter demonstrators from anti-fascist movements were also present. Both groups were policed by a proportionate pre-planned operation. There have been five arrests and no injuries have been reported.”

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