Thousands of students protesting about cuts to higher education were involved in a stand-off with police on George Street in Sydney on Wednesday.

The protest led to two arrests and caused traffic delays, blocking a north-bound lane on George Street. Just after 5pm, all roads through the city had re-opened. The Transport Management Centre said south-bound buses on George Street were delayed for up to 15 minutes, and north-bound buses on Elizabeth Street were delayed for up to 10 minutes.

In Melbourne, police were forcibly removing students from outside Parliament House.

The Sydney protest started at the University of Technology, Sydney, campus at Ultimo, where about 100 police on foot, motorbikes and horses formed a line to keep students off the busy Broadway thoroughfare.