Indian protesters clash at Melbourne’s Federation Square

Confronting footage shows the moment innocent bystanders are caught up in a violent brawl between two Indian protest groups, forced to watch on as one man is repeatedly beaten.

Terrifying footage has captured the moment young children were forced to watch on as two protesting groups violently clashed outside Melbourne’s Flinders St Station on Sunday.

The photos posted to social media shows the moment the ethnic groups, understood to be Sikh separatists and pro-India supporters, brawl in heated scenes during a referendum event.

It is understood a group carrying flags with the word ‘Khalistan’ clashed with a second group holding Indian flags as they marched past Federation Square.

Khalistan is a Sikh separatist movement looking to create a land for Sikhs by creating a sovereign state in the Punjab region in India.

In one clip Sikh separatists were seen charging at pro-India supporters while chanting “death to India” as innocent bystanders and children were seen running away from the violent scenes.

Khaisltani attacked Indian and abused Hindu at the central of melbourne city Federation Square. Govt of Victoria state allowed khaliasthani referendum where they openly abused Hindus. Unacceptable. While Indian High commission did nothing despite being aware @[e-mail]/1naMYRyr5V

— rinku (@Rinku33593711) January 29, 2023

A second clip showed protesters running toward Flinders Street Station, with one man tripping over tram lines before being set upon by a group of men wielding Sikh flags.

The man is filmed being repeatedly beaten in a group attack and knocked to the ground as the wild brawl disrupted one of the city’s busiest tram lines.

“I was in the city today … It was very intimidating,” one witness commented on a Reddit post capturing the confrontation.

The tense scenes come off the back of the highly contentious Khalistan Referendum, in which voters were asked whether Indian governed Punjab should be an independent country.

Victoria Police told the Herald Sun they were investigating two separate incidents in which the two groups were allegedly involved.

“Police were in attendance at a Khalistan Referendum event at Federation Square today when two scuffles broke out, one about 12.45pm and the other at about 4.30pm,” a police statement said.

Protesters clash at Federation Square, Melbourne on Jan 29, 2023. Picture: Reddit,

“In both incidents police quickly responded to separate and disperse the crowd with police deploying OC spray during the second incident to separate the fighting men.

Police said the scuffle resulted in two arrests and a handful of injuries.

“As a result of each incident a 34-year-old man and a 39-year-old man were arrested, and each issued with a penalty notice for riotous behaviour,” the statement continued.

“Melbourne East Neighbourhood Policing Team are continuing to investigate after it was identified two men, one with a laceration to their head and another with a hand injury, were injured.

“The pair were treated at the scene by ambulance paramedics for what was believed to be minor injuries.”

Investigations were continuing.