CCTV footage of a wild brawl at a barber shop in Melbourne's west where a man was hit in the head with a tomahawk has been released by police as they hunt for the offenders.

Police said up to 15 men entered the shop on Nicholson Street in Footscray, about 5:10pm last Friday and began arguing with people inside.

Detective Senior Constable Peter Street said initially staff were able to diffuse the situation, but five minutes later the men came back.

At one point there were between 20 and 30 people in the barber shop.

"[The offenders were] all males between 17 and 20 years old," he said.

"The majority of them were of African or Somali appearance.

"There were a few Caucasian males also inside.

"A lot of them did have balaclavas and face coverings so it's hard to identify the people involved. That's why we're appealing for witnesses."

He said there had been some kind of disagreement between the men inside and the men outside which "just got out of hand".

Hair clippers, broom used as weapons

Items inside the barber shop, such as hair clippers, stools and a broom were used as weapons in the altercation.

Detective Constable Street said just 20 minutes before the fight broke out there was a small child in the store getting his hair cut.

"Luckily enough the child left before the fight broke out but as I said being 5:00pm on a Friday night there could've been any number [of people] in there of all ages and all sexes," he said.

One man was hit in the back of the head with a tomahawk and was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

"[The victim] seems to have a laceration to back of his neck area," Detective Senior Constable Street said.

"[There was] a lot of blood, but I don't think it was as bad as what it could've been being struck with a tomahawk."

About $600 was stolen from the barber shop's till and police said no staff were involved.

Investigators released footage of the incident in the hope of identifying those involved.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.