Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters were met with a wall of police refusing to let them onto the King Street Bridge in Melbourne today.

The tense showdown followed a peaceful march through the city.

However, some pent-up frustration broke into anger, with riot police seen in the area.

The group assembled outside the State Library at midday and wound its way through the heart of the city towards the King Street Bridge.

Police had sealed it off before anyone got close.

A lone counter-protester stood out in the crowd and was taken away in handcuffs.

After 21 months of marching it was more than just a Sunday rally for the action group amid increasingly upsetting reports of starvation from Gaza.

It was the 92nd gathering of this group and they say they will continue to March every Sunday until they’re satisfied there’s a ceasefire.

As the main protest dissolved and moved back to the State Library, a smaller storm of troublemakers splintered off.

The Australian flag was burned as paint hit the concrete

The handful that stayed behind continued to stir chaos, planting themselves in traffic.

Police said they feared the worst as they tried to control the crowd, which dwarfed the numbers organisers had expected.