A central Victorian city is bracing for further protests after the mayor was escorted under police guard from a council meeting amid a heated protest against a planned mosque.
Officers were called to Bendigo Town Hall about 6.30pm yesterday as protesters shouting "no mosque" and calling Mayor Peter Cox a "traitor" forced the monthly Greater Bendigo council meeting to close prematurely.
Four police officers cleared the council chamber and the meeting was closed early.
There were no arrests.
Scuffles between rival groups supporting and opposing the mosque development clashed in Bendigo in August, resulting in a series of scuffles and disrupting the town's central business district.
Another street protest is planned in October.
Mr Cox, a vocal supporter of the mosque, said he felt safe as he was escorted from the council chamber but said he was disappointed at the way the meeting ended.
"They put their point of view but they made so much noise that it was not possible to continue running the council meeting," Mr Cox told AAP.
"It is disappointing that some people would not allow other points of view to be expressed. Only one point of view was heard.
"The whole democratic process broke down because we had to adjourn the meeting."
The City of Greater Bendigo approved the planned mosque in June 2014, despite vocal opposition.
Opponents unsuccessfully appealed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to have the council decision overturned.
They are now seeking leave to appeal VCAT's decision in the Victorian Supreme Court.
