Protesters clash over drag story-time event at Melbourne council meeting

Police were called to a Melbourne council meeting after it descended into chaos when hundreds of protesters flooded the building.

Shocking footage has captured the moment a Melbourne council meeting erupted into chaos over a drag queen story-time event.

Hundreds of protesters flooded a City of Monash council meeting ahead of discussions over a children’s story time event scheduled to be hosted at a local library next month.

Police officers were used to control the clashing protesters after members of the anti-drag camp started yelling abuse at the pro-drag and LGBTQIA+ community supporters.

Monash resident Gregory Storer said he felt safe until protesters from the anti-drag camp started yelling and banging on a glass wall.

A council meeting descended into chaos over a drag story-time event. Picture: Facebook

“The vile language and rhetoric being used was offensive and quite intimidating,” he said.

Mr Storer moved from the gallery to stand between police officers in the hope he would be more safe.

When he returned to his seat after asking the council about their safe children policy he claimed he was met with more verbal abuse from the crowd.

A man’s T-shirt shows where he stands. Picture: Facebook

A woman from the anti-drag camp yells at LGBTQIA+ protesters. Picture: Facebook

“I heard people calling me a ‘f**got’, ’groomer’ and ‘pedo’,” he said.

His husband Michael Barnett filmed the meeting and captured some of the wild scenes as protesters screamed across the room.

“It was tense from the outset,” he said.

Michael Barnett attended the meeting with his husband. Picture: Supplied

A supporter of the event. Picture: Facebook

“The standout moment was when police had to escort councillors to safety due to the hostility of the anti-LGBTIQ+ protesters.”

Controversial senator Ralph Babet was reportedly in attendance at the meeting after he invited his followers to join him at the protest on his Facebook page earlier that morning.

Hundreds were in attendance with police unprepared for the volume of attendees. Picture: Facebook

The story-time event will go ahead next month. Picture: Facebook

Police were aware of the protest and proactively attended; however, they were not prepared for the number of people in attendance.

“I was alarmed there was a need for a strong police presence but grateful for their attendance as they kept the hostile protesters at bay,” Mr Barnett said.

He said he was pleased the council did not cancel the meeting, adding that “giving in to them” would have been “bad for democracy”.

“Being called a pedophile or a child groomer just for supporting diversity is beyond the pale and left me feeling quite shaken and unsettled,” he said.

No arrests were made.

The story-time event is due to take place on May 19.