A group of up to 15 men have been caught on video storming into a barber shop in Melbourne before throwing chairs, flipping over a cupboard and swinging punches at patrons.

Staff at the barber shop tried to defend themselves with broomsticks and dustbins, and one man was taken to hospital after he was struck in the head with a tomahawk during the all-in brawl.

Police say the men entered the shop in Nicholson Street in Footscray at 5.10pm last Friday and began arguing with the people inside, before leaving.

About five minutes later the men came back and several fights between the men and patrons in the shop broke out.

CCTV showed the men jumping on counter tops and punching and kicking patrons. A man wielding a tomahawk can also be seen in the security footage.

It is believed those involved in the fight were known to each other.

Police were also told that $600 was stolen from the shop’s cash register during the brawl.