Police have been accused of using excessive force after woman was pepper sprayed in the face and several other bashed with batons following a violent nightclub brawl.
It began as a scuffle outside Lava Lounge nightclub in Berwick, southeast Melbourne when police intervened, using OC spray and batons to subdue the brawling patrons.
Shocking vision of the incident, filmed by bystanders, shows several officers attempt to overpower the club-goers with batons and dousing them with pepper spray before putting one man in a headlock, Nine News reports
It began as a scuffle outside Lava Lounge nightclub in Berwick, southeast Melbourne when police intervened, using OC spray and batons to subdue the brawling patrons (Vision pictured left and right)
One angry witness could be heard telling police he had captured the brutal beatings on camera.
‘I hope you guys know I have all this on video, you guys hitting them with batons while they were pepper sprayed on the ground,’ the man said.
Police say they were responding to a brawl at the popular nightclub spot which had seen a 21-year-old woman knocked unconscious, several patrons bashed and security guards spat on.
But those who were subdued with pepper spray and beaten with batons claim the responding officers used excessive force.
One woman told Nine News she was left with severe burns on her scalp and legs after being sprayed with the agent while others were left with bruises to their legs and faces.
The 27-year-old woman alleges she was punched in the face by an unknown man and then pepper sprayed by officers.
Police say they were responding to a brawl (pictured) at the popular nightclub spot which had seen a 21-year-old woman knocked unconscious, several patrons bashed and security guards spat on
However several witnesses to the alcohol-fuelled punch up defended the police and say the brawl was reaching bloodthirsty heights before officers intervened.
‘Police were fine, I actually thought they went a bit too easy… they have got to protect themselves,’ witness David White said.
According to Victoria Police, the responding officers did deploy OC spray however it was not effective in breaking up the violent brawl.
‘Police deployed OC spray which was not effective and the group continued fighting,’ a police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
‘Police were then required to resort to using batons to stop the fighting and separate the parties. No other injuries were reported.
A number of people received infringement notices for drunk in a public place and police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.