Police were seen examining the car believed to have been driven into a crowd of people protesting in Manhattan on Friday. At least five people were injured.

Paramedics appeared to be giving first treatment on scene, as police set up a security perimeter.

"We were marching not aware, peacefully marching. I turned around I see the car coming, I said, 'wait.' They flew past me, one of my brothers move me out of the way," recounted a witness.

"The car just started hitting people, like literally smacking people," he added.

People hit by the car were being treated in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to media reports.

Local reports said that the police detained one female driver, suspected of having deliberately driven her car into pedestrians.