Western Australian police say they proactively blocked 15 members of “issue motivated groups” from attending Anzac Day commemorations, following disruptions that marred earlier ceremonies in the eastern states.

One man was arrested at the Sydney dawn service at Martin Place, where there was a small but noisy interjection of booing during the Indigenous acknowledgment of country. Booing also marred ceremonies in Melbourne and Perth.

The booing has been condemned by First Nations leaders, RSL officials and state premiers.

Ahead of Anzac Day, anti-immigration group Fight for Australia had encouraged supporters to contact RSL branches and ask that welcome to country not be included in ceremonies.

People connected to the group, formerly known as March for Australia, posted footage online on Sunday showing police in Perth approaching five people and blocking them from attending the dawn service.

“Due to your association with the March for Australia group and their actions in the eastern states, you are being removed from the ceremony due to the belief you will interrupt it.

“If you fail to leave you will be arrested and you will be taken to Perth watch house.

“Your association to that group has unfortunately ruined your opportunity to remain at the ceremony today.”

In a statement, Western Australian police said they removed 15 people – 14 in Perth and one in regional WA – who were identified as members of “issue motivated groups”. No arrests were made.

“WA Police attended to protect the dignity of the commemorations, maintain public safety, and ensure the community could pay their respects without disruption,” WA police said in a statement.

“As a result of police intervention, the group was removed without incident, and the dawn service proceeded uninterrupted.

“These actions reflect the behaviour of a small minority and do not represent the values of the overwhelming majority of people who attended ANZAC Day services respectfully across WA.”

Writing in Guardian Australia, Indigenous academic Marcia Langton said the “morons” who disrupted Saturday’s speeches “should be named, photographed and banned from all future Anzac Day services”.

New South Wales police said they had arrested a 24-year-old man for an alleged act of nuisance and will allege he booed at the Cenotaph site in Martin Place.

Police in Victoria said they were “aware of two incidents of people booing during the dawn service” at the Shrine of Remembrance.

“As soon as police heard the behaviour, officers moved into the dense crowd however were unable to identify anyone at the time,” they said in a statement. “No arrests have been made.”

The federal opposition leader, Angus Taylor, told ABC’s Insiders on Sunday that booing was “absolutely inappropriate and un-Australian” but that he could “understand the frustration Australians feel about over-use of welcomes to country”.

“I feel that at times. Often actually. I think it is overused and as a result they are devalued.

“I would like to see them used less and therefore not devalued as I think they have been over time.

“It’s up to individual organising committees to decide whether they want to do it or not. But the general principle should be: let’s do this less and make it more special when it happens.”