Violent clashes erupted outside the event. Credit:Jason South "We know that both these groups, the left and the right, will do everything they can to goad and to attack the police to get that one shot where it looks like our police are responding in a aggressive way." Hundreds of left and right protesters gathered in front of the Melbourne Pavilion on Racecourse Road and Stubbs Street, where they faced off and fought with sticks. Riot police stormed the protest and used pepper spray to subdue the crowd, which included members of left-wing group Campaign Against Racism and Fascism and right-wing groups Reclaim Australia and The Freedom Party. Leftist protesters held placards stating "f--k off Nazi scum" and chanted "hey Milo go to hell" and "no Nazis ever again".

Riot police clash with protesters. Credit:Jason South ​Police said one officer suffered minor injuries after being struck by a rock during the affray. Two men were arrested for throwing objects and are expected to be charged. Mr Leane said more officers may have received minor injuries and many woke up feeling "sore and sorry". Protesters clash outside a speech by alt-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos in Kensington Credit:Jason South He said between 30 to 50 right-wing protesters aggressively confronted between 300 to 500 left-wing activists – before they needed police protection themselves.

Mr Leane described the events that followed as resembling "a battlefield". Rival protesters wrestle. Credit:Jason South A mechanic who has been working on Stubbs Street for 17 years said he had never seen anything like it before.



"There were police everywhere," Charlie said, declining to give his last name. "I had no idea what was going on.







"They [police] all had vests and guns and I thought that was strange. I thought it was terrorism." The protesters have vowed to follow Yiannopoulos around the country to "unite to fight the right". Police use capsicum spray. Credit:Jason South

Witness felt threatened by police Anti-Yiannopolous protester Ezekiel Ox defended the actions of leftist activists, blaming police for the escalation of violence. "We protested in a peaceful fashion. The police were hostile, violent and intimidating," Mr Ox told radio station 3AW. Police intervene to stop the violence. Credit:Jason South One witness said he became caught up in "extremely aggressive" policing.

"It was the scariest thing I've ever seen. It felt like at any second it could snap, like a riot could break out at any moment. Members of the African community from the nearby housing commission estate joined the protest. Credit:Jason South "It felt like Berlin in the 90s, not Flemington in 2017." ​ Riot police restrain a protester. Credit:Jason South

Yiannopoulos addressed his two sold-out Troll Academy Tour shows later in the evening. It is understood he's appearing as a guest of Penthouse magazine. Mr Leane said police would bill organisers of the event in order to recover some of the thousands of dollars spent in controlling protesters. He rebuffed suggestions police used excessive force. "We took a defensive position from police and we were just trying to keep the warring parties apart," he said. Mr Leane sympathised with residents of the nearby housing commission flats who joined the protest

"If you're young and angry and living in a commission flat and this thing's happening outside your place and the opposition side is screaming taunts which you find personally offensive, I can understand why they wanted to join in." Local businesses, including Sheen Panel Service, were told to close their doors early and some residents were concerned for their safety.







"I told my husband to park in the alleyway [behind our house]. We could hear people yelling at about 10pm. We have a six-year-old so we decided to stay away from it," resident Sabrina Smith said. Victorian Attorney-General Martin Pakula​ blamed the conflict on the "idiotic behaviour" of protesters and described Yiannopoulos as a "ridiculous individual".

"He's just a person who wants to say outrageous things, to provoke disharmony and to exacerbate divisions in our community, says disgusting things about women, says disgusting things about anybody who he doesn't identify with," Mr Pakula said. "I think the organiser of this event, whoever they might be, have done this city a great disservice." Yiannopoulos, 33, has repeatedly made headlines for his views on minorities. "I troll for a purpose, a higher moral purpose if you like," Yiannopoulos has previously said. He has sold more than 10,000 tickets nationwide.

Earlier this year, the US-based commentator resigned from Breitbart News after he appeared to suggest it was OK for older men to sleep with teenage boys. He later issued a rare apology. Yiannopoulos was also banned from Twitter in 2016 after he made a series of racist tweets about African-American Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones.