Climate activists have resumed their demonstrations outside a Melbourne mining conference after a day which saw tense clashes between protesters and police.
Police on Wednesday used capsicum spray to break up the blockade which was designed to prevent conference delegates accessing the Convention and Exhibition Centre.
A Victorian police spokesperson said 12 protesters had been arrested so far, mostly for "intentionally obstructing an emergency services worker".
Two people have glued themselves to a car park access ramp, while one woman "locked" herself to a hand rail. All three were removed by police.
Protesters have described wild scenes as officers, complete with mounted units, moved in.
"They told us to move a metre forward and then they just started pushing us and they went wild. My friend got arrested, I got pepper-sprayed, it was crazy," an unnamed woman protester told 3AW.
Protesters and police grapple outside the The International Mining and Resources Conference today. Source: AAP
Almost 50 people were arrested on Tuesday outside the International Mining and Resources Conference, and a protester and two officers were taken to hospital after being injured.
Protesters claimed officers had been hostile towards them, but Victoria Police said they had shown discretion and tolerance in their handling of the protest.
Hundreds of protesters were back outside the conference on Wednesday, facing off with a heavy police presence.
Victorian Greens Leader Samatha Ratnam said she was at the protests on Tuesday and saw activists being vocal, but not violent.
"What I did see however was what seemed like excessive force from the police. We saw horses being driven into people, I saw someone with a broken leg," she told reporters.
While protest organisers said they had expected Tuesday to be the biggest of the three days of demonstrations, they added that the media attention so far makes it difficult to calculate how many might attend this week.
Conference organisers insisted it was "business as usual" and that the protests had failed to disrupt the meeting - attended by 7,000 delegates.
Delegates heard about commitments within the industry to prioritise ethical sourcing and meet climate change goals, organisers said, having accused protesters of being misdirected in targeting the conference.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack condemned the protesters as "absolutely disgraceful".
He told ABC News: "Mining and resources provide a lot of money, particularly for the welfare payments that a lot of those people are no doubt on”.
Mounted police move into the crowd of protesters outside the mining conference. Source: AAP
The majority of Tuesday's arrests were related to failing to obey police direction or intentionally obstructing an emergency service worker.
Two people were arrested in relation to cruelty to animals after they allegedly struck a police horse.
Protester Camila Serra, 23, fell after being pushed by a police horse and was taken to the Alfred Hospital with a leg injury, while a man was treated at the scene for a cut to his head.
Four police officers suffered injuries including a dislocated finger and minor head injuries. Two of them were taken to hospital for treatment.
Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien backed the police.
"I support the police trying to make sure that these ferals can't stop people going about their lawful business in this state," he said.
