Live blog: Neo-Nazi leader speaks as city protests flare

Rallies in the centre of Melbourne have turned ugly as the anti-immigration March For Australia drew counter protesters. A team of Burne reporters and photographers is covering the events.

City rallies turned ugly on Melbourne as protesters clashed and witnesses described police using pepper spray in a confusing clash of multiple protests near state parliament.

Bottles were also thrown as the anti-immigration protesters grew increasingly heated and vocal across the course of the protest, which was still going four hours after it began.

A standoff in the city as the protest nears the four-hour mark. (Video: Ruby Alexander)

As the rally reached Spring Street, Melbourne neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell addressed the crowd.

Neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell addresses the protesters. (Video: Matthew Parkhill)

The anti-immigration March For Australia rally drew counter-protesters, and as those two groups moved through the city they came close to the weekly rally for Palestine protest that is held every weekend near parliament. It is not clear who was pepper-sprayed as the rival groups converged just before 1pm.

A protester bleeds from the head after clashes in the city. (Photo: Louie CIna)

A police officer stands ready with pepper spray. (Photo: Matthew Parkhill)

At 11am, protesters and counter protesters -- the latter chanting "Refugees are welcome, Nazis are not" -- had gathered near Flinders Street Station. Police had cordoned off counter-protesters and were preventing people from crossing towards Flinders Street. 

The view of the Flinders Street protest from Federation Square. (Photo: Louie Cina)

Video posted on X at 11.45am appeared to show clashes between protesters and men wearing security jackets. It was not immediately clear what prompted the clashes.

Police are keeping protesters and counter-protesters apart. (Video: Matthew Parkhill)

Protesters draped in flags carried signs listing their grievances. (Photo: Louie Cina)

Counter-protesters gather in the CBD. (Video: Matthew Parkhill)

Periodically the crowd bursts into chants of “Aussie Aussie Aussie, oi oi oi”. Police are ordering protesters to remove masks, in some cases resulting in arguments with demonstrators.

One man appeared to have been detained by police just before 11.30am.

Police speak to a protester near Flinders Street station. (Photo: Matthew Parkhill)

Police move in near Federation Square. (Photo: Louie Cina)

The Melbourne March For Australia is one of dozens of such events being held around Australia on Sunday, with protests in all capital cities and many regional towns. The event organisers describe the event as a protest against "mass migration" and has been condemned in advance across the political spectrum as a lightning rod for racism. There were fears the rally will attract right-wing extremists, as well as counter-protesters.

In a speech on.Saturday night, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said Australia "isn’t a place where we spread hate and fear about foreigners. Australia is a nation of foreigners ....a nd Australia isn’t a place where we walk with Nazis. Australia is a place that went to war with Nazis”. State opposition leader Brad Battin also warned of heightened division. "Any attempt to incite hatred or division against any community is completely unacceptable," he said.

Protesters wheel speakers into place on Flinders Street. (Photo: Matthew Parkhill)