ANTI-fascist and anti-Islam protesters are facing off this afternoon in opposing demonstrations in Harrow.

Around two hundred people under of Unite Against Fascism (UAF) started to arrive outside Harrow Central Mosque at midday for a protest to “defend Harrow's community”.

They are objecting to plans by Stop the Islamisation of Europe (SIOE) to hold an anti-Islam rally outside the mosque today.

Eighteen men and one woman have arrived to protest against the mosque, but it is unclear whether they are SIOE members.

The groups are currently in a stand off in the car park of Harrow Civic Centre, separated by police and specially erected security barriers.

The UAF supporters have been chanting “racist scum - off our streets”, which have been occasionally countered by shouts from the sparse gathering of anti-Mosque supporters.

Roy Parsons, one of the anti-Islam protesters, told the Harrow Times: “Muslims want dominance, they don't want to live alongside us.

“They have a right to be here, but they have to live alongside us with our laws.

“We are here for a peaceful protest, it's the UAF who are the dangerous ones.”

After the violent outbreaks last time UAF and SIOE protests were held in Harrow, on September 11, the police are out in force.

Superintendent David Hartshorn said: “This is an emotive issue and we want to be able to facilitate both sides of the argument to have their say.

“We took the ground early so that the sides could not confront each other. We understand there may be a small element attracted who may be violent but we hope it doesn't come to that.”

He said around 800 officers have been deployed today, and police chiefs met with SIOE and UAF organisers ahead of today's protests.

The numbers who have taken to the streets of Harrow today are far less than on September 11, when thousands arrived to try to support the mosque.

The relatively low numbers can be seen as a success for the message put out by the mosque, asking people to stay out of the area and leave the police to marshal the protests.