A police taskforce is combing through security camera footage to hunt down violent protesters who rallied in Melbourne's inner-north.

Seven people have already been arrested after anti-immigration and anti-racism protesters clashed at competing rallies in Coburg on Saturday.

Police deploy capsicum spray as anti-immigration and anti-racism protesters clash in Coburg. Photo: Julian Smith

Further arrests are expected as police vow those who covered their faces and went to the rally looking for trouble won't be allowed to get away with their criminal behaviour.

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"We will be looking at the footage, finding out what else we can do, to track these people down and bring them to justice," said Commander Sharon Cowden, who announced the new taskforce after the protests.

Punches were thrown, kicks landed and flags were used as weapons on Saturday as left-wing demonstrators and right-wing supporters brawled on the Bell Street bitumen, in front of a primary school.

Protesters from rival anti-racism and anti-Islam rallies are seen in Coburg. Photo: Mathew Lynn

The fight involved a significant number of people and lasted about half-a-minute before police could intervene. Police fired capsicum spray to disperse the brawlers.

One person said he saw a man "getting stomped on", as he lay on the road.

Fighting also occurred over the fence, on the lawn of the Coburg Primary School senior campus. Men kicked, punched and grappled with one another on the ground before police arrived and separated them.

Police deal with protesters. Photo: Mathew Lynn

Protesters from the left-wing and the right-wing groups appeared to have been injured in the fighting. Police detained people in the schoolgrounds, including a man who at one point claimed he couldn't breathe.

Some of the injured people looked very unsteady on their feet, and appeared to have suffered either facial injuries or discomfort from capsicum spray.

Police confirmed that seven people had been arrested after the day's shocking events, which disrupted local traders. At 12.45pm, one upset trader said he had taken just $2.40 from customers, who had stayed away.

Masked protesters in Coburg. Photo: Mathew Lynn

Commander Cowden blasted protesters who engaged in violence, and said the behaviour of some people was "cowardly".

Five people were arrested as a result of the "violent clashes in the streets", and two were arrested after weapons searches, she said.

The arrests over the street clashes related to assaulting police, hindering police and riotous behaviour, she said.

A Bendigo man, 25, and a Skye man, 31, had been charged with riotous behaviour. A Broadmeadows man, 33, was charged with attempted robbery, a Keilor East man, 31, was charged with assaulting police and a Reservoir man, 25, was charged with hindering police.

After weapon searches, police charged a Gisborne man, 18, over possession of a lock pick, and another man who was found with three knives. The man found in possession of knives was released with penalty notices.

"You will see the footage of the violent, inappropriate behaviour and I condemn this," Commander Cowden said.

"I understand the need and the right for people to be able to protest and have their voices heard, and they should be able to do that.

"But what we can't have is this violence in our community. We saw inappropriate and often cowardly behaviour, with people wearing masks and hiding their identity. And we actually believe that in these circumstances they're not coming to a peaceful protest. People hide their identity and I believe it makes them more violent when they're on the streets."

Police conducted more than 275 searches, Commander Cowden said.

"We saw some knives and other prohibited weapons," she said.

Hundreds of people were in Coburg on Saturday in support of left-wing protesters to denounce racism. The right-wing group, meanwhile, was much smaller, probably between 50 and 100 people.

After the Bell Street brawl, protesters from the opposing camps were kept separated by scores of police, including police on horseback. At some times the two groups were just 20 metres apart on the street.

During the tense stand-off, the anti-racism protesters chanted: "Nazi scum off our streets", while the right-wing demonstrators shouted "the left is going down".

Some protesters on both sides of the crowd hid their identities with handkerchiefs, hooded tops and dark sunglasses - the latter despite the overcast conditions and lack of sunshine.

One bearded man in a black windcheater taunted the right-wing supporters as he stood just metres from the police line, yelling: "I'll kick the f--- out of you," goading the right-wing protesters to approach.

Police urged demonstrators to stay behind police lines or get sprayed as the rally moved towards the former Pentridge Prison and then to the front of the Coburg public library.

With Steve Lillebuen