Furious opponents of a controversial level-crossing project have dramatically shut down a council meeting in Melbourne’s north-west, accusing the mayor of betraying local interests by voting down a motion to sue the Andrews government over the project.

The Moonee Valley Council meeting erupted on Wednesday night after councillors declined to take legal action to stop the Buckley Street level crossing removal in Essendon.

The crowd’s anger at the decision led councillors to shut down the meeting after just one item on the agenda was heard.

Here are some of the noisy scenes from the meeting: