UK police arrest 76 at London Eric Garner "die-in" protest

(Changes day to Thursday in first paragraph)

LONDON, Dec 11 (Reuters) - British police said on Thursday they had arrested 76 people at a protest about the death of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man killed in New York in a police chokehold, after demonstrators attacked a shopping centre in west London.

London's Metropolitan Police said a small group had broken away from the main protest, a "die-in for Eric Garner" on Wednesday night, and tried to break into the Westfield shopping centre, one of Europe's largest inner city malls.

They clashed with security staff and damaged property, leading to 76 arrests for public disorder offences.

"We will always work with those that wish to demonstrate lawfully - as the majority of protestor did yesterday," said Chief Superintendent Mark Bird who led the policing operation.

"However, we will not tolerate the small minority that offer violence or commit other criminal acts, such as that witnessed outside Westfield (Other OTC: WEFIF - news) yesterday evening."

There have been protests across the United States since a grand jury decided not to charge a white New York City police officer over the death of Garner in July. (Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)