In a significant police response, over 20 officers clad in riot gear, alongside a fleet of 20 police vehicles, descended on Mordialloc Beach in Melbourne’s south-east today, where a crowd exceeding 200 youths had assembled.

The police intervention was initially prompted by a call to a nearby Woolworths following reports of a skirmish just after 3 p.m.

Video captured inside the supermarket reveals a throng of young beachgoers storming through the aisles, leaving behind a trail of spilled beverages and scattered goods.

Eyewitnesses reported witnessing the group causing havoc by breaking items, pulling products off the shelves, and engaging in theft.

As a safety measure, the Woolworths location was placed under lockdown shortly after 4 p.m.

“Our Mordialloc store was placed into lockdown in response to a large group entering and causing a disturbance,” Woolworths said in a statement.

“We thank our store leaders for their diligent work prioritising the safety of our team members and customers.

“This is another example of why we’ve been advocating for additional measures to protect our frontline team members.”

Police said the crowd then moved to Mordialloc Pier.

“Police are working to disperse the hostile crowd, who were throwing items at members,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.

“Public Order Response Team members have been deployed to assist.”

Footage from the beach shows a group stomping on a young man’s head.

No emergency treatment was required, according to Ambulance Victoria.

No injuries were reported and no weapons were sighted, according to police.