A TV reporter has clashed with protesters during a live cross from the scene of an anti-war and pro-Palestine rally that shut down parts of central Melbourne on Wednesday.
Teegan Dolling, a reporter for Seven's Sunrise program, was confronted by four protesters, some wearing keffiyehs and masks, while she was reporting on the demonstration outside Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Some 25,000 people were expected to attend what could be the city's largest protest in decades.
The protest is in response to the Land Forces Defence Expo, which runs from Wednesday to Friday.
Dolling was reporting live when the demonstrators crowded into shot, buffeting her as she spoke to camera.
As a Sunrise security guard worked to remove them from the camera's shot, a woman to Dolling's left obstructed the camera lens.
Dolling pushed the woman's arm away, to which she began yelling at the reporter: 'Don't touch me.'
The Sunrise reporter seemed startled by the confrontation but explained there were 'a lot of people' around.
Frustrated Sunrise reporter Teegan Dolling was swarmed by a group of at least four protesters while covering the anti-war event in Melbourne
Officers were seen with faeces stuck to their helmets and uniforms as they attempted crowd control
Sunrise host Nat Barr condemned the scenes.
'That is not on if people are actually mishandling our reporters,' she said from the studio.
It follows footage surfacing of protesters throwing horse faeces at mounted police officers as they attempted to control the crowd.
It's understood police have deployed capsicum spray and made at least one arrest.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese weighed in, saying 'people have a right to protest peacefully'.
'But you don't say you're opposed to defence equipment by throwing things at police,' he told Sunrise.
'They've got a job to do, and our police officers should be respected at all times.'
Police officers were brought in from NSW to help cope with what's anticipated to be the city's largest protest in decades.
Early in the morning, the group moved from the Convention Centre, where police had turned out in force, and towards a major intersection in an attempt to block it, as mounted police tried to steer them away.
Victoria Police was given 'special powers' under the Terrorism (Community Protection) Act in the area surrounding the exhibition centre until 11.59pm on September 15.
Under the powers it's an offence to hinder a search or fail to comply with a direction to remove a face covering.
The expo runs from Wednesday to Friday but some demonstrators began gathering in front of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre last Saturday
Police officers were brought in from New South Wales to help cope with what's anticipated to be the city's largest protest in decades
'This is expected to be our largest operation since the World Economic Forum in 2000,' a Victoria Police spokesman said.
'A number of police will be dedicated to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre to ensure the highest level of safety and security throughout the event.
'This includes hundreds of regional police who will travel to Melbourne for the event in addition to metro general duties police and specialist police including the Public Order Response Team, Highway Patrol and Mounted Branch.'
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