Police in Australia's second largest city of Melbourne arrested more than 200 people after projectiles thrown by protesters injured two officers today, the third consecutive day of demonstrations against Covid-19 curbs, Reuters reports.

Golf balls, batteries and bottles were among the items thrown at police during the protests held in defiance of stay-at-home orders after a two-week closure of building sites to rein in infections, which rose again in the state of Victoria.

“There weren't as many tradies involved...there are other small breakaway groups that see benefit in hijacking these things,” deputy commissioner Ross Guenther told reporters.