A small but vocal crowd protesting against plans to send asylum seekers to Malaysia has forced the temporary closure of an immigration office in Melbourne.
A few dozen protesters chanting "don't send them to Malaysia, let them stay in Australia" and "not Malaysia, not Nauru, Julia, we're talking to you" rallied outside the Department of Immigration and Citizenship office in Melbourne on Monday.
A handful of the protesters entered the building, where they unfurled a banner, chanted and gave speeches before they were escorted out.
"We made a few speeches about what is going on in Australian detention centres," said protester Scott Stewart. Some people inside clapped to show their support as he was led away, he said.
Two activists turned up wearing cow costumes to highlight the differences between the public outcry over ill treatment of cattle in Indonesia and the response to Australia's treatment of asylum seekers.
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Organiser Naomi Farmer said asylum seekers were not a threat to Australians and the major political parties were using refugees to score political points.
"Movements start with small amounts of people who are prepared to make a stand," she said.
The DIAC office, where immigrants seeking to stay in Australia are interviewed and lodge papers, was closed temporarily due to the protest, and a small group outside told AAP they were concerned they might miss their appointments.
Monday's rally was timed to coincide with a High Court challenge to the federal government's plan to send 800 asylum seekers in Australia to Malaysia in exchange for accepting 4000 certified refugees.
