Thousands of people have taken part in an anti-migrant rally in the Italian capital, Rome, staged by the far-right Casa Pound group.

"Stop the invasion! This is my home," the crowd chanted as it started its march from a reception place for migrants and refugees at Piazza Vittorio square on Saturday.

The protesters carried Italy’s national flags as well as the colors of the Casa Pound movement, which stands against the European Union's refugee policies and demands tougher border controls.

The flag of the Greek radical group, Golden Dawn, was also spotted during the action in the Italian capital, La Stampa reported.

Shirts spotted at the #casapound rally, now singing "stop the invasion, this is my home" #casapoundnotwelcomepic.twitter.com/J6NcUFp9Oi — Raw News (@RawNewsLive) May 21, 2016

The banners seen at the rally read: “Defend Italy,” "I don't want the EU" and "This Europe is not what we want."

Among the #casapound chants right now: "I don't want the European Union", "This Europe is not what we want" pic.twitter.com/qCuPTPoZEs — Raw News (@RawNewsLive) May 21, 2016

A huge counter-protest was also taking place in the Italian capital on the day – under the slogan: “Casa Pound not welcome in Rome.”

Both rallies were peaceful, with no major incidents reported.

Far-right #casapound extremists about to start their rally in #Rome. A leftist counter-demonstration also happening pic.twitter.com/hb66M7kJXJ — Raw News (@RawNewsLive) May 21, 2016

Over a million people, fleeing from wars in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, flooded Europe in 2015 causing the largest migrant crisis faced by the continent in decades.

Thousands of refugees arrive in Italy every month as they perform dangerous boat trips across the Mediterranean from Libya, which already saw hundreds drowning.