Demonstrations turn violent as anti-lockdown protesters clash with police in Melbourne

Victorian Police have made several arrests and deployed capsicum spray as violent anti-lockdown protests erupted on the streets of Melbourne.

The protesters managed to avoid a ring of steel aimed at keeping them out of the city's CBD, taking their demonstration instead to the inner-city suburb of Richmond.

The protests took place on a day Victoria set another record with 535 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.