University students have clashed with police outside a venue in which Education Minister Christopher Pyne was delivering a speech.
About 40 students tried to get into the Sydney Masonic Centre where Mr Pyne was speaking this morning but were pushed back by police, who used pepper spray to keep them at bay.
Images posted to social media show students crying and covering their eyes outside the building.
Sarah Garnham was among the protesters.
She told SBS students had gathered outside the SMC Conference and Function Centre in Sydney to protest the Education Minister’s plan to deregulate university fees.
In a statement, NSW Police told SBS they were launching an investigation into the incident.
"The NSW Police Force also recognises the rights of the broader community and organisations to engage in their daily activities within minimal disruption and in a safe and secure environment.
"The NSW Police Force will not tolerate breaches of the peace or criminal offences being committed by persons who attend unauthorised demonstrations or public assembles."
Christopher Pyne was due to give the Inaugural Hedley Beare Memorial Lecture inside at the time.
Ms Garnham said some of the student protesters had pre-registered for the event, and believed they were allowed to go inside the building when they were stopped.
“We’d been in there earlier in the day, plus the lecture he was giving was actually advertised as public,” she said.
“Either way, though, I thought the force [the police] used was absolutely disgraceful.
“We were trying to get through the door into the lecture theatre, and all of a sudden there was this mist that just enveloped the protesters.”
Were you at the protest today? We'd like to hear from you. Tweet @SBSNews or email sylvia.varnham@sbs.com.au
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