Ethnic groups clash neat the corner of Swanston and Flinders streets in Melbourne's CBD overnight.

It’s been billed as a family-friendly celebration but this year’s instalment of the Moomba Festival proved to be a violence fuelled event as multiple brawls broke out in the streets of Melbourne’s CBD.

Police predicted the violent behaviour, warning the public of a large-scale police presence across the city to ensure the four-day celebration remained under control.

But it wasn’t enough to prevent three massive fights, with one captured on camera by the Herald Sun.

According to the report, tensions between ethnic gangs saw a brawl break out outside St Paul’s Cathedral, marring the festival’s otherwise amicable celebrations.

In the footage, a shirtless man can be seen throwing punches and is surrounded by a large group of hoodie-wearing youths.

Hundreds of police were deployed to the scene, with one threatening a troublesome youth: “Last chance: she goes home or she goes to jail.”

Police had to intervene arresting three people for assault and two more for drunken behaviour despite the authorities flooding the city on horses, bikes, boats, and helicopters.

Authorities responded to two more street brawls at Federation Square and Flinders Street Station between 10pm and 2am where capsicum spray was deployed twice to break up the fights.

Two more penalty notices were issued, one for riotous behaviour and one for weapons offences.

Victoria Police spokeswoman Alex Day said the three brawls appear to have involved the same two groups of youths.

“It’s understood on each occasion two groups of youths began fighting before both Public Order Response Team and Uniform police immediately intervened … Police believe the three fights are linked,” she said.

Before the event began on Friday, Victoria Police Commander Tim Hansen had issued a warning to the public that there would be a “strong, dedicated police presence throughout the city” over the course of the weekend.

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“If there are those of you … that want to come into Moomba and want to cause trouble, and cause harm to those families that come down to celebrate Melbourne, we will be here in force waiting for you,” he told reporters, AAP reported.

“We have cleared out the cells so if we need to, we will arrest you and accommodate you for the night”.

The increased police presence around the Moomba Festival follows the notorious riots that plagued the event in 2016.

The “Moomba riots” are believed to be linked to the Apex gang, which saw 150 youths stealing phones, taunting police and terrorising the public. More than 30 teens were arrested and parts of the city were shut down.

Police officers responded after receiving intelligence that 80 to 100 troublemakers were heading into the city by train.

The large group was allegedly planning to carry out a number of crimes including snatch and grab offences, car-jackings and assaults on members of the public and police officers.

Last year’s Moomba Festival was the scene of similar events, where more than a thousand youths held a huge street party where a series of violent incidences unfolded in the early hours of the morning.

In 2017 the streets in Melbourne’s CBD became the sight for youths looking to start a fight where police arrested more than 50 people as they responded to altercations occurring across the city.

Police revealed more than 800 weapon searches were conducted as part of a mass operation.

Knives, a Taser and a knuckle duster were among the weapons that were seized.

Last night’s events had been likened to a “festival of police” by one witness, a tourist from Sheffield in the United Kingdom.

“I don’t know if I want to visit (Melbourne) again,” he told the Herald Sun.

“I can’t even count, there’s more police here than actual people going to the station.

“I don’t understand what they’re doing.”

Police are still investigating the incidents and the increased police presence will remain in the city throughout the remainder of the Moomba Festival which finishes on Monday night.