Melbourne anti-lockdown protests: 16 arrested, horses hit in the head with flagpole in violent mayhem

Victoria Police have blasted violent protesters, including a man who hit several horses in the face with a flagpole during an anti-lockdown rally in Melbourne.

Officers arrested 16 people and issued 96 penalty notices as hundreds took part in an ugly display in the state's capital today.

Confronting footage shows flares being set off, police horses assaulted, and a police van being hit as mayhem erupted. Violent protesters attacked police trying to control the crowd, many blatantly breaching COVID-19 directions.

The protests started at the Shrine of Remembrance, an eerie silence quickly swallowed by the screams of demonstrators placed under arrest, 9News Lana Murphy reports.

The crowd of anti-lockdown and anti-government agitators were surrounded. Police formed a ring around the main pack of protesters and one-by-one plucked out the troublemakers and arrested them.

During the stand-off, demonstrators chanted "choose your side".

Organisers told participants the arrests were "unlawful and a direct violation of their human rights", Murphy says.

"We will not give up our freedom," one man yelled at cameras.

"I should be at a barbecue," said the sign being held by another man in the protest.

One woman claimed "the virus isn't real" and that it was a "control tactic" used in an attempt to bring in "new world order".

"It's just a flu," she said.

The group was eventually moved away from the shrine but continued to noisily make their message, walking in a pack of hundreds down the street towards parliament.

When halted, the crowd dispersed and quickly reconvened in South Melbourne where things took a turn — flares were thrown, filling Park Street with fluorescent smoke before a group circled a police van, striking it.

Police said they were investigating the incident where several police horses were hit in the face with a flagpole by a man.

In footage, a protester can be heard yelling one horse was "racist".

"Thankfully the horses were not injured during the assaults," police said.

Three officers were injured, with one taken to hospital as a precaution.

Victoria Police blasted the "selfish behaviour of those who continue to breach the CHO directions".

They said in a statement tonight that they were "extremely disappointed to yet again arrest a large number of protesters who showed a complete disregard for the safety of the broader community and the directions of the Chief Health Officer".

Penalty notices issued include for not wearing a mask, breaching public gathering directions, travelling more than 25km from their home, assault police and failing to state their name and address and one defect notice.

Premier Daniel Andrews condemned the protest action planned for today as "shameful" and "unlawful".

The demonstrations come as Melbourne clocked up more than 100 days of tough lockdown.

The city's 25km travel limit is among the reasons for the action.

Melburnians are allowed to gather outside with a maximum of 10 people across two households.

"The shrine is a sacred place and not only is it wrong to protest, it is not safe, it is unlawful, and it is frankly shameful that anyone would seek to protest any issue at such a special place, a place that is regarded with such reverence because of what it symbolises," he said.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius yesterday said police would not be hesitating to fine protesters if they breached health directions.