Man dragged away during anti-police protests in Melbourne

A man has been dragged away by officers as activists converged on Melbourne CBD to demand the abolition of the police force.

Dozens of protesters gathered near Southern Cross Station during Friday night peak hour with plans to march through the city, calling for the police and Australian Border Force to be abolished.

They were met by a strong presence of police officers, both on foot and horseback.

READ MORE: First-ever American pope elected

A man dressed in a black hood and sunglasses was seen being hauled away by officers after a tense interaction after 5pm, but was later released.

There does not appear to be any other major disruptions at this stage.

READ MORE: Bill Gates announces plan to give 'virtually all' his money away

Victoria Police had earlier said it "respects the right for people to protest lawfully however we expect that they do so peacefully without impacting the broader community".

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.