Brighton's most senior police officer has accused anti-fascist demonstrators of being "determined to attack any bald man who looked right wing" at a protest.

On Saturday the demonstration including members of Stop The March and Brighton's English Disco Lovers gathered in anticipation of the arrival of far right groups including The Pie and Mash Squad.

The planned far-right march, which failed to materialise, would have coincided with a peaceful and non-political Great Skinhead Reunion on the seafront.

Many of the far-right protestors who had been bound for Brighton did not in fact appear.

But ten men and four women, identified by police as anti-fascists, were arrested in the morning of the march.

Ch Supt Nev Kemp said: "My understanding is that most of the protesters that said they might be coming to Brighton actually went up to Bristol, so they didn't appear."

But he said the anti-fascist counter-protest did go ahead and he added: "There were a significant number who took part who were intent on violence and criminality."

The 300-strong crowd marched through the city centre before it finished at Brighton railway station at about 12.30pm. Police continued to monitor a number of protesters as they dispersed in small groups throughout the afternoon.

Sussex Police said 10 men and four women - most from Brighton, but two of no fixed address - had been bailed to dates in July pending further inquiries.

Mr Kemp said: "There were a number of people in the protest who showed they were actually - ironically, bearing in mind the protest is about tolerance - some of the most intolerant people you could come across.

"They were determined to cause damage and attack anybody really, any man with a bald head who looked like he might be from the right-wing."

Elaine Ortiz, of anti-fascist group the English Disco Lovers, said none of her group were involved in any violence.

She told The Argus: "I think that's a mistaken assumption that any violence came from the anti-fascist group.

"We had a public meeting with representatives from all the groups and it was discussed very clearly that on the day of the demo there was a skinhead reunion planned.

"So everyone was fully aware of the potential confusion.

"We were all planning a safe and peaceful protest, we wanted to represent Brighton in a peaceful manner."