Washington, March 20 (IANS): Dozens of protestors blocked traffic near an event by US presidential hopeful Donald Trump in Arizona, while demonstrators marched in New York City to protest the front-runner, the media reported on Sunday.

The protestors in Arizona parked vehicles sideways on Shea Boulevard, blocking both lanes of traffic into Fountain Hills, where Trump held a rally Saturday afternoon, Maricopa county sheriff's office deputy Joaquin Enriquez told CNN.

Trump appeared with former Arizona governor Jan Brewer and Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who endorsed the front-runner in January. Arpaio rose to conservative fame with his aggressive roundups of undocumented immigrants and attention-grabbing tactics like clothing inmates in pink underwear.

Enriquez described Shea Boulevard as the main artery into the area and the protestors' actions were causing motorists to drive into oncoming traffic as they tried to get around them.

Enriquez said three protestors were arrested and two cars were towed from the boulevard.

Meanwhile, crowds of demonstrators gathered in Manhattan to march from Columbus Circle near Central Park to Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue.

A small skirmish erupted when protestors started throwing water bottles at police, who were trying to keep them from impeding traffic. Three people were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, a New York police spokesman said.

Protestors carried signs with messages such as "#CrushTrump" and shouted, "Hey, hey / ho, ho / Donald Trump has got to go".

Trump has been criticised throughout his campaign for comments he has made, including calling for a temporary ban on all foreign Muslims entering the US and blocking Syrian refugees.