Six arrests at Occupy Melbourne protest

Protesters were furious at the operation, in which dozens of officers entered Melbourne's Treasury Gardens late on Friday evening to help council rangers remove tarpaulins.

Police say the protesters are welcome to stay but council bylaws prevent them from pitching tents or erecting banners.

It is the second time officers have come down to the site to help remove tents, which protesters have billed a campaign of intimidation to silence them.

"This is a completely absurd show of force against peaceful protesters," a spokesman said in a statement.

Occupy Melbourne had been moved to its current protest site two weeks ago after violent clashes resulted in the removal of their camp from Melbourne's City Square.

Three people had been arrested at the new site earlier in the week after they refused to move on and let police remove their tents.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed that six arrests were made at the protest site on Friday evening, but all were released without charge.

Rangers returned to the park on Saturday afternoon to document what remained of the make-shift Occupy Melbourne camp.