Eight men have been charged with damage to a mosque in south-east Melbourne in the early hours of Sunday in an incident that police say does not appear to be motivated by religion.
Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck.
Security footage showed a group of intruders entering the mosque and riding bicycles in a prayer area, before making a seemingly running run and kicking the chairs.
The incident caused damage to the prayer area and the alleged offenders broke into a closed office and warehouse.
Victoria police said a group fled the mosque before police arrived and had called for those involved to demonstrate on Sunday.
Detectives from the Frankston Crime Investigation Unit searched the scene on Sunday and police said they had received information about the incident.
The men were released on charges of appearing in Frankston Magistrates’ Court on October 28.
Police said there was nothing to suggest that the incident was religiously motivated.
With Roy Ward