A brawl broke out during a meeting to discuss the conduct of police in the city where riots erupted after a black teenager was shot dead by a white officer.

The audience grew restless as police officers spoke out against a proposed civilian oversight board that would examine the force's actions in future at St Louis City Hall.

Missouri state Democrat Jeff Roorda, who is also business manager of the city's police union, reportedly became involved in a slanging match with meeting chairman Terry Kennedy.

Roorda, who was said to have been wearing a wristband in support of Darren Wilson, the ex-police officer who shot Michael Brown, then allegedly pushed a black woman as a melee erupted.

Video of the fracas reveals someone in the crowd shouting abuse at Roorda, telling him: 'You white supremacist motherf*****. Get the f*** out of here, man!'

Fracas: A mass brawl breaks out at a meeting at St Louis City Hall when tensions boil over during a discussion on a proposed new law that would see civilians examining the future conduct of police

The brawl highlights how relations were still on a knife-edge since Brown's shooting in Ferguson last year

Cachet Currie said she suffered a scratch to her forehead after claiming she was pushed by Roorda.

'I was literally just trying to leave the meeting and I got caught in whatever Roorda and Kennedy had going on in their exchange,' she told KMOV.

'Roorda just jumped out into the aisle, pushed me over, and tried to get to Kennedy.

'I'm like "wait a minute, don't push me". Then he started going off on me, pushing me.'

The meeting descended into chaos around an hour into proceedings when Roorda called for calm when an officer's statement was interrupted by other attendees, it was reported by the St Louis Post-Dispatch.

Simmering tensions: The meeting descended into chaos when Missouri Democrat Jeff Roorda (above) reportedly became involved in slanging match with chairman Terry Kennedy

Roorda (centre-right) was accused of pushing a black woman as he forced his way through the crowd. Video reveals someone in the crowd telling him: 'You white supremacist motherf*****. Get the f*** out of here, man!'

Alderman Kennedy replied: 'You do not tell me my function', prompting Roorda to push his way through the crowd.

Witnesses claim police officers had to hold Roorda back from engaging with other attendees.

The meeting ended early and no arrests were made.

Roorda later told the Post-Dispatch: 'We spent the night hearing from anti-police radicals.

'We hear from two police officers and (Kennedy) lets the place go wild.'

Cachet Currie (above) said she suffered a scratch to her forehead after claiming she was pushed by Roorda

Alderman Antonio French, the main sponsor of the bill calling for civilian oversight of police, said the altercation proved how relations were still on a knife-edge since Brown's shooting last year.

He tweeted: 'We saw once again tonight how fractured our city remains.

'We have a lot of work to do. I believe a strong civilian review board can help.

'The behaviour of union official Jeff Roorda tonight was deplorable and disrespectful to the fine men and women he is supposed to represent.'

Flashpoint: Michael Brown (left) was shot by police officer Darren Wilson (right) in Ferguson, Missouri

A firebomb flies over a police car as protesters riots in Ferguson, Missouri, in November over a decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson over the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown in August

Brown was unarmed when he was fatally shot after a confrontation in August with then-Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, who resigned from the department late last year.

The shooting led to widespread unrest in and around the St Louis suburb, including some protests that resulted in local business being burned and looted.