Police say they are "appalled" by the violent clashes that erupted between anti-immigration protesters using the Nazi salute and counter-protesters outside Victorian Parliament.
Officers used pepper spray to contain the violence in Melbourne's CBD on Saturday, yelling at opposing demonstrators to "get back".
About 20 neo-Nazi protesters dressed in black and covering their faces gathered on the steps of parliament to demonstrate against increasing immigration.
They were met by anti-fascist counter-protesters in much larger numbers.
Police have since charged a 20-year-old Werribee man with assaulting officers and discharging a missile.
He will face court at a later date.
A 30-year-old Doreen man has been charged with theft, attempted theft, assaulting police and resisting police.
He was bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on June 21.
One police officer was hit with pepper spray and received medical treatment on scene.
"Like the community, police were appalled at the acts displayed in Melbourne today," a Victoria Police statement said on Saturday evening.
"We understand incidents of anti-Semitism can leave communities feeling targeted, threatened and vulnerable. Hate and prejudice has no place in our society.
"Today's protest involved many different opposing groups and our core focus was to ensure safety, prevent clashes and de-escalate any violent behaviour."
Counter-protester Nick told the ABC that violence outside parliament erupted when anti-fascists "tried to get at the Nazis".
"Then they started throwing bottles at the Nazis and that point it escalated," he said.
"The police pulled out the pepper spray. There were some arrests and there was a lot of pushing and shoving."
Anti-immigration views spread by rally organisers
In advertising material for Saturday's anti-immigration rally, organisers said they were opposed to new migrants in Australia.
Federal government minister Chris Bowen on Saturday labelled the rally "unspeakably un-Australian" and said neo-Nazis who participated represented a "fringe of political lunatics who have no place in modern Australia".
"It's unacceptable. It's not on. This is pure and simple racism and neo-Nazism is pure and simple evil.
"It has no place in our country, it needs to be condemned and it is condemned by this government."
Race Discrimination Commissioner Chin Tan said the use of Nazi symbols was based in racism and posed a serious threat to community cohesion.
"Urgent action is needed to combat racism throughout this country," Mr Tan said.
"We need to treat racism as a scourge in much the same way we commit to addressing child abuse and family violence."
The Victorian opposition condemned "neo-Nazi thugs and their toxic bigotry and hate".
"This sort of behaviour is completely unacceptable and against the values of an inclusive, tolerant and multicultural community," the statement from Liberal leader John Pesutto and deputy David Southwick said.
They renewed their party's commitment to work with the state government to ban the Nazi salute.
A state government spokesperson called the behaviour "disgraceful and cowardly".
"These people are inciting hatred towards Jewish people and other minority groups, and it won't be tolerated in Victoria," they said.
The state government in March confirmed it would introduce legislation to ban the Nazi salute in the state.
The public display of the Nazi swastika and other related symbols was outlawed in Victoria in 2022.
"Victorians have zero tolerance for this behaviour and so do we … everyone deserves to feel safe, welcome and included in Victoria," the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Victoria Police are investigating after graffiti of the Nazi swastika was sighted in Altona in Melbourne's west.
