Dan Andrews blasts 'appalling' violent protesters in Melbourne 

Daniel Andrews has blasted violent protesters in Melbourne who took the city by storm on Tuesday.

About 2,000 tradesmen and far-right anti-vaccination and freedom campaigners rampaged through the city to demonstrate against a two-week shut down of the construction industry imposed due to rising Covid cases.

Police - who were caught short by the hastily organised protest - said 62 people have been arrested after footage showed violent thugs attacking police by throwing cans or punching them in the street.

Mr Andrews said the actions were an 'insult' to the majority of law-abiding tradies and said the protesters were not just builders but also far-right freedom and anti-vax protesters. 

'Can I say at the outset that the ugly scenes that we saw yesterday are not only appalling, they're unlawful. Victoria Police will take action against those who did the wrong thing yesterday,' Mr Andrews said.

'I think there were some people there who you would say were from the building industry. 

'There were others who were not from the building industry. They're not there to protests, they're there for a fight, pretend to be protesting. They're from many different backgrounds. 

'What offends me is not only is the conduct, but in my job, over many years, I have met hundreds and thousands of builders, hundreds and thousands of tradies who build this state, whether it be removing level crossings, building hospitals and schools, all the way through to building homes, they're fine people, hardworking people, and what we saw yesterday is an insult, an insult, to the vast, vast majority of tradies or people in the building industry who are not about wrecking, they're about building,' he said.   

Thousands of angry anti-vaxx protesters have vowed to march on Melbourne's streets 'every day' as part of a violent crusade sparked by mandatory coronavirus vaccinations on job sites. 

But Victoria's police chief has warned next time 'things will be different' with riot cops to be armed with rubber bullets, pepper balls and stinger grenades ready to take on the mob 'head on', with protests set to enter their third day on Wednesday.

The tough new tactics come after just 62 protesters were arrested on Tuesday, despite thousands shutting down the city, terrorising the streets and injuring several police officers during a dangerous seven-hour-long melee. 

With union bosses fronting media to denounce the senseless violence, the state's premier Daniel Andrews was nowhere to be seen.

The usually camera-enthusiastic premier was ruthlessly criticised for 'hiding away' and failing to directly condemn the riots in a meekly-worded statement issued later on Tuesday evening.

Tensions have been brewing for months within the construction industry with a significant contingent of workers vehemently opposed to the jab requirement.

That resentment exploded this week with hi-vis-wearing anti-vaxx demonstrators hurling projectiles at the CFMEU headquarters on Monday, before taking over the entire city on Tuesday.

A rudderless mob of up to 2,000 stormed across the CBD for more than seven hours clashing with police, lighting flares, hurling rocks and in one case even assaulting a Channel 7 news reporter by throwing urine on him.

The out-of-control group even scaled the West Gate Bridge shutting down traffic and jumping on cars as terrified bystanders including children watched on in fear from inside their surrounded vehicles.

'This was a very large and very, very angry group. Crowds like this, they're for cowards,' Chief Commissioner of Police Shane Patton said.

'Cowards who seek to hide their identity… to do other things that if they were by themselves they wouldn't have the courage to do.

'I can't imagine what it would have been like to be a citizen in your car …. how scary that would have been.'

An online poster created by rally organisers declares the 'Victorian Workers Rally for Freedom' will continue 'every day' from 10am outside the head office of the CFMEU until their 'no vaccine mandate' demand is met.

But Commissioner Patton has promised that police will be ready to unleash a range of new counter measures on Wednesday, setting the scene for a fiery showdown.

'I'm not going to disclose what our tactics will be… but they will be different,' he said.

'This is utter criminal conduct they've been involved in. You cannot come in and break the law. We will hold you to account.' 

Although more than 500 officers were deployed on Tuesday with the assistance of police air wing helicopters, the police chief said it was 'really challenging for us' because of the 'spontaneity and tactics they employed throughout the day'.

Three officers were injured in the chaos along with veteran journalist Paul Dowsley who had a can thrown at the back of his head, was doused with urine and grabbed around the throat. 

There were just 62 protesters arrested, but police have vowed to scour CCTV and social media footage in order to bring more arrests in the coming days and weeks.