'Like something out of Braveheart': Hundreds of riot police swarm Melbourne's CBD as 'rival African and Pacific Islander gangs' clash after family-orientated Moomba Festival
- Brawling groups of ethnic youths have marred the Moomba Festival yet again
- Police had promised a dedicated presence of officers in Melbourne CBD
- But footage taken outside city's St Paul's Cathedral showed violent scenes
- Scores of young men were also filmed fighting on Flinders Street escalator
- Five people arrested following brawls at Federation Square and Flinders Street
African and Pacific Islander teenage gangs went to war in Melbourne on Saturday night.
Witnesses watched on in horror as hundreds of riot squad officers were forced to use capsicum spray and batons to break up a series of organised brawls across the city.
One man likened the scenes to 'something out of Braveheart', claiming officers could do little but watch on as the clashing groups fought outside Flinders Street Station.
'I saw about 5 massive clashes, with the Islanders coming out on top in all of them. Pound for Pound they were formidable and unstoppable,' he wrote online.
'They would charge at each other randomly. Like something out of Braveheart.'
Brawling groups of ethnic youths have marred the Moomba Festival yet again, with five people arrested following three separate incidents in Melbourne's CBD
Confronting footage taken outside St Paul's Cathedral showed dozens of young men and women watch as a topless man threw punches (pictured)
Dramatic footage posted online (pictured) showed more than a dozen teenagers sprinting down a set of escalators at Flinders Street station
Dramatic footage posted online showed more than a dozen teenagers sprinting down a set of escalators at Flinders Street station.
They appeared to corner a smaller group of boys and lay into them with flying kicks and punches as others encouraged them on from a distance.
Just two minutes up the road at St Paul's Cathedral, dozens of young men and women watched on as a topless man threw punches at the crowd.
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Police arrested five people following three separate incidents, which they believe were all linked.
The organised street brawls started from 10pm and carried through until 2am on Sunday night, police confirmed.
The brawls followed Melbourne's notorious Moomba Festival, a three-day free family event run by the council.
One social media user reported the events at Flinders Street were like something 'out of The Warriors' movie, with more than 150 police officers 'reluctant to do anything other than randomly spray capsicum (spray)'
Moomba Festival has been spoiled by youth gang violence for the past four years.
Police arrested 24 people in 2016, and more than 50 in 2017 when young thugs from the Apex gang ran riot through the city centre.
Saturday night's violent incidents came despite Victoria Police pre-empting trouble surrounding the family-friendly event, promising a dedicated police presence throughout the city.
Vision also showed a young woman being allegedly thrown to the ground by an officer
In other footage taken next to Flinders Street Station by a passer-by, a young woman could be seen being allegedly thrown to the ground by an officer after she had walked up to him.
In response to the incident, Victoria Police said the incident showed the need for 'members of the public to stand back to give police the space to ensure a safe and timely outcome for all parties'.
The incident will however be investigated, a spokesperson confirmed.
One social media user reported the events at Flinders Street were like something 'out of The Warriors' movie, with more than 150 police officers 'reluctant to do anything other than randomly spray capsicum (pictured officers usher a camera away)
Vision also showed a young woman who appeared to have been affected by capscium spray being attended by officers.
'On each occasion two groups of youths began fighting before Public Order Response Team and Uniform police immediately intervened,' a police spokesperson said.
Three people were arrested for assault and two others for drunken behaviour.
The violent incidents came despite Victoria Police pre-empting trouble surrounding the family-friendly event, promising a dedicated police presence throughout the city (pictured man who was one of those arrested in subdued by police)
A further two penalty notices were also issued, one for riotous behaviour and one for weapons offences.
There has been an increased police presence around the Moomba Festival following the 2016 'Moomba riots' linked to the Apex gang.
During the riots, 150 youths stole phones, taunted police and terrorised the public.
There has been an increased police presence around the Moomba Festival following the 2016 'Moomba riots' (pictured) linked to the Apex gang
More than 30 teens were arrested over those riots and police have had a strong presence at the festival since then.
Ahead of this year's event, Commander Tim Hansen told reporters more police resources would be deployed this year than ever before.
'If there are those of you ... that want to come into Moomba and want to cause trouble, and cause harm to those families that come down to celebrate Melbourne, we will be here in force waiting for you, and ready for you,' he warned.
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