New York, Jul 16 (IANS): At least three police officers in New York City were injured while trying to make arrests during a confrontation between two opposing groups of protesters, authorities said.

"Three officers violently attacked by protesters crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. The officers sustained serious injuries," Xinhua news agency quoted the New York City Police Department (NYPD) as saying on Twitter on Wednesday.

A video posted by the NYPD on Twitter showed the officers surrounded and attacked by a group of people with a long stick or cane when they were trying to arrest a man on the bridge.

NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan sustained minor injuries during the scuffle, and the other two officers were sent to the hospital for stitches, NBC New York reported.

Hundreds of people, including faith leaders, law enforcement and police union representatives, joined the "Power of Prayer -- Stop the Violence March" in Brooklyn on Wednesday morning, calling for an end to the surge of gun violence across the city in the past weeks.

Clashes erupted when the group marched onto the Brooklyn Bridge and were met by counter-protesters who tried to block them from marching toward Manhattan.

Police made 36 arrests and none of the arrested belonged to the "Stop the Violence March", according to NBC New York.

Since the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd, demonstrations against police violence have been taking place in New York almost every day, with many protesters urging the government to defund the police.

Meanwhile, the city is experiencing a staggering increase in gun violence.

A total of 43 shooting incidents occurred last week, an increase of 231 per cent compared with the same week in 2019, according to the NYPD.