Nassau officials say 11 people were arrested and two officers were hurt during a protest Saturday in Merrick.

Nassau County police tell News 12 that protesters resisted when officers tried to block them from moving onto the Meadowbrook Parkway.

They say a standoff lasted several hours before 10 adults and a 15-year-old were arrested for disorderly conduct. All of them are from Long Island.

Officials tell News 12 that two police officers were injured in the confrontation. One officer suffered a fractured ankle and will require surgery and another sustained heavy bruising and a scratched cornea after being punched.

Protests have been happening in Merrick for nearly a week and police say they were peaceful -- up until Saturday. There were also some smaller incidents in the area.

On Wednesday, some demonstrators clashed with a truck driver, and the window of a pizza shop was broken.

On Thursday night, 500 demonstrators made their way onto the Southern State Parkway near Exit 24. Police did let protesters onto the highway and traffic was shut down in both directions for around two hours.

Many Merrick residents say they agree with the protesters' message, but they want to make sure the demonstrations remain safe.

Authorities say there were major safety concerns on Saturday, especially since there was heavy rain during the day.

"This was obviously a safety issue for everyone involved," said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. "Our actions are always guided by safety. Safety for residents, motorists, police and drivers."

At a news conference Sunday on the incident, Nassau officials said there was a subset of protesters who were "egging on" the crowd to go onto the parkway. Ryder said he was proud of the actions of the officers at the scene.