Protesters to disrupt Border Force checks

Protesters will step in if a plan to randomly check visas in Melbourne's CBD is revisited over the weekend.

About 200 protesters shut down the Flinders Street Station intersection on Friday afternoon, causing the Border Force to abandon a planned press conference to announce the visa checks.

The entire operation was cancelled by police following the protest citing safety issues.

"Every single person here will be doing everything they can to impose themselves on those checks, they'll be trying to interrupt those checks," protest organiser Ezekiel Ox told AAP on Friday.

"They'll be making it very difficult for the Border Force to do their job."

Protesters stormed the station gates and continued the rally inside, while police had to protect two Border Force employees who copped abuse.

Traffic and trams were shut down for about 30 minutes as the protest went from the station steps and into the Flinders and Swanston streets intersection.