Hundreds gather to protest Australia's offshore detention policy

Hundreds of protesters in Sydney have called for the Australian government to end its offshore detention policy.

Victorian police clash with protestors at a demonstration to protest the treatment of refugees on Manus Island. Source: AAP

Hundreds of protesters have gathered at Sydney's Circular Quay, voicing outrage at the government's treatment of refugees on Manus Island.

More than 350 people gathered by Sydney Harbour on Sunday afternoon, calling for the federal government to end its offshore detention policy.

The largely subdued, peaceful, group held a minute's silence for the more than 300 men currently held on Manus Island.

Pastor Jarrod McKenna, who visited Manus Island last week addressed the crowd with a message from the men in detention.

"The men on Manus are listening and they're noticing that you're here now and let us act in such a way that is worthy of their struggle for safety and freedom," he told the crowd.

Ingrid Zoebe from Grandmothers Against Detention of Refugee Children told AAP she was outraged with the government's treatment of asylum seekers.

"Today we are here supporting the men on Manus, because we just think that their treatment is just appalling," Ms Zoebe told AAP.

Similar protests were scheduled around the country by GetUp.