Moment Black Lives Matter supporter carries injured man to safety amid far-right demos in London

This is the moment an injured man was carried to safety by a Black Lives Matter supporter in London after a day of clashes between police and rival groups.

Counter-protestors, some with links to the far-right, descended upon the capital on Saturday, claiming they wanted to protect statues after demonstrators had previously toppled monuments during BLM protests.

But the demonstrations quickly turned violent as the self-proclaimed “statue defenders” took over areas near the Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square and hurled missiles , smoke grenades, glass bottles and flares at police officers.

Amid the violence, which spilled across the river to South Bank, a photographer captured the moment that one man, who the crowd believed were part of the anti-racism counter-demonstration, was helped by a BLM supporter.

In the image, a white man is seen clutching his head as a black man carries him over his shoulders, flanked by police in riot gear.

Reuters journalists at the scene said the man had been hurt on the steps leading to the Royal Festival Hall in central London and badly beaten before other protesters stepped in to protect him.

They added that the crowd had identified him as a far-right supporter, although that has not been confirmed.

Twitter uses were quick to comment on the photo, which Piers Morgan hailed as a "beautiful moment".

One user said: "Easily my favourite photo of the day. A BLM protestor carries a far-right ‘counter-protestor’ to safety as fighting breaks out in Waterloo, London.

"Tell me again how ‘both sides are the same’. They’re not, they never have been + they never will be. This image will become iconic

Another added: "This is my favourite picture of today. A BLM Protestor carrying an opposition protestor to safety. This is the UK I know. This is us."

Mr Morgan added: "Amid all the ugliness, a beautiful moment of humanity."

Anti-racist protesters around the world have rallied for days against racism and police abuses since the death of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody on May 25.