Three men were arrested after the fierce election battle for the East End erupted into violence at a meeting addressed by anti-war campaigner George Galloway.

Police escorted the Respect party candidate from a Bethnal Green council estate at 9pm last night after up to 30 Asian men starting shouting abuse.

"There was some fairly aggressive heckling," a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

Once Galloway had left the Osier estate in Globe Road, a fight broke out among the group. One man fell in the fracas and received hospital treatment for a minor head injury. He has been released.

Officers detained three men in their 20s on suspicion of aggravated bodily harm, public order offences and possession of an offensive weapon.

Former Labour MP Galloway had been meeting with estate tenants in Withy House as part of his election campaign in Bethnal Green and Bow.

His Respect party is tipped to be a serious threat to Labour's 10,000 majority in the seat, held by pro-Iraq war MP Oona King.

The incident sparked fears for the safety of the two politicians when they appear together for the only time in the run-up to the election at a Mile End meeting tonight. Around 350 people are expected at the closed question-and-answer session.

Other candidates who will appear are Liberal Democrat Syed Nurul Islam Dulu, Conservative Shahagir Bakth Faruk and the Greens' John Foster.