
Police officers were spat at and three African teenagers arrested in violent confrontations outside a Melbourne shopping centre on Wednesday afternoon, as mounting community tensions boiled over in the city's west.

In the latest flare up involving African teens, up to 20 officers rushed to Tarneit Central after a dispute began near a mobile police van about 3pm.

The van had been placed at the shopping centre as part of a high visibility operation in the suburb where police have been trying to calm community fears about African youths.

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Police officers were spat at and three African teens arrested during a violent confrontation at a shopping centre in Tarneit, in western Melbourne, on Wednesday afternoon (pictured)

In the latest flare up involving African teenagers, up to 20 officers rushed to Tarneit Central on Wednesday after the dispute began near a mobile police van

It took a number of police officers to bring one African teenager under arrest (pictured)

Stunned shoppers at Tarneit Central Shopping Centre (pictured) watched on as a young man repeatedly spat at officers

Stunned shoppers watched on as a young man repeatedly spat at officers, one of whom threatened him with pepper spray.

'Walk away or you're going to get sprayed,' the officer told the youth.

Initially there were only four or five youths outside the shopping centre and just two police officers.

But as the confrontation escalated more youths quickly arrived, followed by about eight police cars.

'F*** you, b****,' one of the youths yelled at a female officer.

Three young males were arrested after the incident, which began about 2.45pm.

'What did I do wrong?' one screamed.

Several of the young people alleged the Sudanese community had been unfairly blamed for trouble in the area.

The group of African youths was initially only four or five in number, but that quickly swelled

'F*** you, b****': One of the youths was heard swearing at a police woman during the violence

Two African youths point their fingers at a female officer who just minutes later threatened to use pepper spray on the pair

When the clash began there was only two police officers at the scene, but up to 20 more were outside the shopping centre in just minutes

Several of the young people alleged the Sudanese community had been unfairly blamed for trouble in the area

One of the teenagers puts his hand on the arm of an unappreciatve a police officer. A few minutes later he was under arrest

Another of the teenagers in a camouflage jacket argues with security guards outside a shop

Officers stationed at a nearby community centre were among those to attend the scene.

Abuse was also directed at a Daily Mail Australia photographer and journalist reporting in the area.

A spokesperson for Victoria Police confirmed that two 18-year-old men and a 17-year-old boy had been arrested at the scene.

The two older men, both from Tarneit, are expected to be charged on summons with behaving in riotous manners and assault related offences.

The 17-year-old from nearby Point Cook was charged with resisting arrest, assaulting police, riotous behaviour and other assault related offences.

He was bailed on Wednesday afternoon to later appear in the children's court.

A shocked shop owner watches on as four police officers wrestle one of the African teens to the ground

Police attempt to keep the man subdued as he tries unsuccessfully to wrestle free of their hold

Handcuffs don't deter the African teenager as he lunges in the opposite direction to that which police are leading him

The teenager needed five male police officers to keep him subdued, so powerful was his effort to escape

As he wrestles with police, one officer holds up a hand seemingly urging the teenager to calm down

Another African teen is led away into a police van by two officers on Wednesday afternoon

A spokesperson for Victoria Police confirmed that two 18-year-old men and a 17-year-old boy had been arrested at the scene

One of the three African teenagers arrested following the scuffle is placed into the back of a police van

A policeman appears to give an African teenager who was at the scene throughout the violent clash a stern talking to

Within minutes of the clash things had returned to normal outside the Tarneit Central Shopping Centre

The violent confrontation began near a police van located at the Ecoville Community Park in Tarneit as part of a high visibility operation

Tarneit Central was packed with shoppers at outlets including Kmart, Coles, Harris Scarfe, Aldi and Liquor Land

There has been a large police presence at Tarneit since it was revealed that centre at Ecoville Community Park had been trashed.

Locals blame gangs of Sudanese youths.

Leading Sudanese youth worker Nelly Yoa says he is 'ashamed' by the crime spree

There was also a near-riot involving African youths at a party being held at an Airbnb in nearby Werribee in the past fortnight.

It comes amid fears that a new gang of African youths is rising up in the city's west in similar fashion to the Apex gang which terrorised Melbourne for years.

The rise of a so-called 'Menace to Society' gang has been heavily debated in recent weeks following a spate of violence and crime in the Tarneit and Werribee area.

In an effort to allay the local community's fears, a number of Victorian politicians and top ranking police publicly said the city had no problem with African gang violence.

But leading Sudanese youth worker Nelly Yoa has rubbished those claims, saying it is clear young African people were over represented in crime figures in Melbourne.

Nelly Yoa, who currently plays for Collingwood in the Victorian Football League, said in an opinion piece for The Age on Monday the behaviour of African youths should not be overlooked.

'Nobody should ever try and cover up or defend this unacceptable behaviour – to do so is immoral and inexplicable,' he wrote.

African thugs have trashed a brand new housing estate's community centre and are using it to take drugs and peddle ice

Once a tranquil space for western Melbourne families to congregate, Ecoville Community Park (pictured) in Tarneit is now a no-go zone

It comes amid fears a new gang called 'Menace to Society' has picked up where the Apex gang left off

MTS was tagged all over the trashed centre, leading to claims it was one of the gangs involved in the mayhem

Overturned shopping trolleys and burnt walls are now common place at the community park

A homemade bong was found inside the community centre, which is allegedly a haven for drug use

'It is a fact that South Sudanese are over­ represented in crime statistics and are causing great harm and fear across communities in Melbourne.

'This behaviour has been ongoing for nearly two years. Enough is enough. It makes me ashamed and embarrassed to call myself a Sudanese.'

The Victorian government last year introduced strict laws previously reserved for bikies allowing them to deport African trouble makers convicted of violent crimes.