Extreme left-wing protesters planned a violent attack on police – including throwing bricks at them – weeks before chaos erupted in Melbourne’s CBD last month.

The Herald Sun can reveal Campaign Against Racism and Fascism (CARF) held a meeting at the prestigious University of Melbourne where attendees were urged to launch missiles at officers.

The shocking instructions at the October 3 forum were captured on images obtained by the Herald Sun, which are now being investigated by Victoria Police.

Protesters were told to “be militant in your ideology” and “be aggressive to the fascists”.

“Make them be ashamed to walk the streets,” one slide said.

The same slide suggested throwing bricks at police.

On October 19, riot police were set upon and attacked in the city centre as they worked to control protesters who tried to confront an anti-immigration rally by the ultra-conservative March For Australia group. Two officers were hospitalised.

Victoria Police North West Metro region Commander Wayne Cheesman emptied a box of rocks thrown at police at a press conference after the protest.

“This is what was thrown at police today and I think Melbourne has had a gutful,” he said.

“The left-wing group were running up and down side-streets. We were lucky we had barriers and police in place.

“Bottles filled with shards of glass were being thrown at police. Rotten fruit, bins and flags were set on fire.

“People came to pick a fight with the police,” the angry officer, who has been in the force for 39 years, added.

A CARF spokesman said the October 3 presentation was part of a talk given by an international speaker from the UK who was not a member of the group. The unnamed guest speaker was mentioned on leaflets promoting the forum.

“None of our members, our social media posts, or leaflets has ever advocated for violence,” they said.

“There is no evidence that any members of CARF were involved in any of the conflicts (that) Sunday.

“CARF has always argued that the best way to challenge the growth of fascism is to build a mass movement opposed to racism.”

The spokesman said the organisation could not “possibly control everyone who turns up to demonstrations” but condemned police tactics on the day.

“We’re appalled by the police use of chemical weapons, rubber-coated steel bullets and sound grenades, which hospitalised at least five protesters,” they said.

“There should be no place for these lethal weapons on the streets of Melbourne.”

A University of Melbourne spokesman said the forum was not an endorsed event.

But Libertarian Party leader David Limbrick said the institution had questions to answer.

“Victoria Police have every right to be furious with the University of Melbourne for hosting this event,” he said.

“Universities should be places where people can have robust discussions about all kinds of subjects, even stupid ones like socialism. However, these photos appear to show the planning, or possible incitement, of violence.

“We saw what happened, so it’s difficult to accept an argument they were using metaphors.”

He added: “The violence at the protest was planned and co-ordinated. It seems likely that at least some of this planning happened here.

“The far Left in Melbourne has a violence problem.

“Unless the University intends to start up a bachelor of brick-throwing (course), it should not be using publicly owned facilities to encourage organisations like these.”

A police spokeswoman said: “Victoria Police is prioritising investigating the alleged assaults towards police on October 19.

“Whether this activity was premeditated is forming part of our ongoing investigation.”

In a statement, the University of Melbourne said it wholeheartedly condemned the violence and incitement to violence.

It had also launched a review into the circumstances of the meeting “to ensure appropriate actions are taken in line with our policies”.

Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt again repeated calls for a protest permit system to help police control violent protests.

“It’s a delightful piece of irony that these people, who preach peace yet commit violence under the cowardly cloak of anonymity on our streets, have been unmasked and exposed in this way,” he said.

“This should forever put to rest the baseless and often repeated claims by this group, and ones like it, that police are the antagonists and the aggressors at protests in Melbourne.

“Everyone sees through their cowardly, clichéd, cynical theatrics.

“Our members go to these protests because it’s their job. The other mob goes to these protests to attack them. It’s not spontaneous, it’s premeditated.

“If the government refuses to install a permit system that would allow for the separation of protests and counter- protests that place our members directly in harm’s way, the least it should commit to is protecting the safety of the police that are wedged between the warring groups, with adequate helmets and personal protection equipment,” he said.

shannon.deery@news.com.au