Anti-racing protesters at the Melbourne Cup Parade have been blasted for their “disgraceful behaviour” towards a Sky News reporter.

Anti-racing protesters at the Melbourne Cup Parade have been blasted for their “disgraceful behaviour” towards a Sky News reporter.

The parade, which started at midday, attracts thousands of people each year to Melbourne’s CBD and runs from Swanston St to Federation Square until 2pm.

The parade always attracts animal activists but the amount of protesters has been multiplied following recent allegations of animal cruelty involving retired racehorses.

Footage uploaded to Twitter shows Sky News reporter Patrick Murrell being abused by protesters as he attempts to record a piece to camera.

“You’re a hack. You failed at university. Your parents paid for university. You’re a f**king hack,” the unidentified protester can be heard screaming.

Other protesters can be seen screaming profanities into the microphone and jostling Murrell as he attempts to ignore them.

Dozens of Twitter users have commented on the video condemning the protesters for their actions and praising Murrell for keeping his cool.

“An extraordinary and disgusting attack on a journalist just doing his job (& doing it well!). The irony of the protesters telling him to get a real job is funny. But also, don’t the protesters want and need their protest to be reported? They should be thanking him not abusing him,” one person wrote.

“Disgraceful – @pamurrell is a bloody legend and did well to keep his composure throughout that report,” another said.

Anti-racing demonstrators doing their best to disrupt Melbourne cup parade @abcmelbourne pic.twitter.com/dWghDztmO6 — Elias Clure (@EliasLClure) November 4, 2019

Media Watch producer Jason Whittaker also responded to the footage, writing: “Judge Sky News journalists on the worst of their commentators and people might start judging protest movements on their most vile participants.”

Security has been ramped up for the Melbourne Cup Parade in response to protesters planning to disrupt the annual event over allegations of animal cruelty.

A report on ABC’s 7.30last month showed hundreds of race horses being abused by Queensland abattoir workers.

The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses created a Facebook event encouraging people to join in on the protest, with more than 200 indicating they would be attending.

“While the racing industry is keen to preview the champions of the industry by marching down Swanston Street of Melbourne CBD, there is dark side to racing that is hidden behind a veil of secrecy,” the event reads.

“Thousands of healthy racehorses are sent to slaughter every year because they are simply unprofitable.

“Join us as we call on the racing industry to end the slaughter of racehorses, and to implement a retirement plan for them.”

A group large group of protesters were filmed holding various anti-racing signs and chanting “Horse racing kills”.

Dozens of police were seen standing in front of the protesters as they chanted at those marching in the procession.

One of the protest leaders reportedly asked the group not to yell as the horses went passed so they don’t scare them.

A small group of protesters holding signs stood outside the gates at Flemington Racecourse during Derby Day on Saturday.

Another protest is planned for outside Flemington on Cup Day.

Today’s procession will involve trainers, owners, jockeys, fashions on the field participants and retired racehorses, with Lord Mayor Sally Capp and Victoria Racing Club chairman Amanda Elliott carrying the $200,000 cup trophy.

Lord Mayor Capp said the event “pays homage to winners of the past, the jockeys and their trainers”.

A number of celebrities have also pulled out of attending the Melbourne Cup this year.

Model Megan Gale, a regular for many years as the face of Melbourne Cup sponsor Lexus, announced on Thursday she won’t be coming.

Singer Taylor Swift revealed last month she wouldn’t be going ahead with a planned performance at Flemington, while actor Lana Condor pulled the plug on her attendance last week, with both citing scheduling issues.

However Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the race is about everyday people, not celebrities.

“The Melbourne Cup is not about so-called big celebs visiting us,” the premier told reporters in on Thursday.

“It’s about ordinary, hardworking Victorian families who will be there in record numbers and many hundreds of thousands more who will watch the race that stops the nation.”