ETIHAD Stadium has condemned the “appalling behavour” of crowd members who caused mayhem at a major darts championship last night.

Police were called to subdue the crowd after piles of chairs and tables were upended and witnesses reported people being body slammed into furniture and others urinating in the middle of the stadium floor.

The Darts Invitational Challenge was billed as one of the top darts events in Australia, with local hero Simon “The Wizard” Whitlock taking on international greats Michael van Gerwen and James “The Machine” Wade.

But the crowd of several hundred people turned nasty during the final between Whitlock and world No.1 van Gerwen shortly before 9pm.

media_camera Tables and chairs were dumped at Etihad Stadium.

media_camera Mayhem broke out during a darts tournament at Etihad Stadium.

Etihad Stadium spokesman Bill Lane said no one was seriously injured in the chaos.

“We don’t condone that sort of behaviour,” he said.

“It was appalling behaviour. The majority who attended had a fantastic night.”

Mr Lane said plastic chairs were damaged in the incident but that there was no damage to the stadium.

He said police were called immediately when the incident occurred.

Crowd member Joel Yeowart, 19, of Nunawading, said the chaos started when a “small group of people started chucking chairs at each other”.

Mr Yeowart said it then quickly escalated with hoardes joining in and fights erupting in the crowd.

Abbotsford man William Cook, 26, said hundreds of people started throwing plastic tables and chairs midway through the final game and he saw one man urinate on the ground.

“It was a total disaster,” Mr Cook said. “Tables and chairs were everywhere. It was crazy, it just built up so fast.”

He said people were yelling and several children were also in the crowd.

He said organisers told the audience play had to be stopped for “safety issues”.

media_camera Plastic chairs fly at a rowdy session of the darts. Picture: Getty Images

He said police and security were struggling to keep up, when “massive” second and third piles of chairs suddenly started mounting in other parts of the stadium.

Darts events are known for its bucks-night-meets-disco atmosphere, with spectators often dressing up in wacky costumes and holding drinking games.

Senior constable Adam West confirmed officers were called to the stadium at 8.50pm, and stayed until the end of the match.

“A number of patrons were making a chair pyramid,” he said, adding there were no reports of violence.