The protest started yesterday when thousands of Indian students gathered in central Melbourne. (ABC)
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has condemned recent attacks on Indian students as deplorable and says the Government is working with authorities to bring those responsible for the violence to justice.
Mr Rudd today told Parliament he has spoken to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the attacks which saw hundreds of students in Melbourne take to the streets last night in protest.
"I speak on behalf of all Australians when say I say that we deplore and condemn these attacks," he said.
"I said to Prime Minister Singh that the more than 90,000 Indian students in Australia are welcolme guests in our country."
He also said the Government will work closely with the states and territories "as a matter of urgency" to work on ways to help international students feel safer.
Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull described the attacks as "profoundly un-Australian".
"These students are guests in our country and this recent violent behavour has the potential to do great damage to the reputation of Australia as a destination of choice," he said.
Trade Minister Simon Crean says Indian authorities raised concerns about students being targeted more than a year ago.
He says their complaints are being taken seriously.
"There's no point sending your loved ones here to study if they feel under threat," he said.
"I think that this has been an issue that we've tried to address now for a number of months. We will continue to work on it; I think we can get on top of it."
Early this morning police broke up a sit-in by several hundred Indian students; the students had blockaded a major Melbourne intersection outside Flinders Street station overnight in protest against the violence.
Police say they detained 18 students for breaching the peace. The intersection has reopened to traffic.
Police tactics defended
Police say the force used to break up the protest was justified.
Chief Commissioner Simon Overland says an officer was bitten on the hand while trying to move the students.
"There were blows, because arms had been linked, and there was a lot of resistance going on," he said.
"If someone inadvertently got hit in the mouth and got injured I regret that, but that came about on the part of the actions of the demonstrators after they'd been given every opportunity to leave the area."
The protest started yesterday when thousands of Indian students held a protest in central Melbourne to express their anger about recent violent attacks.
Student Sravan Kumar Theerthala, 25, was stabbed with a screwdriver last weekend and remains in hospital.
Yesterday's protest was organised by the Federation of Indian Students of Australia (FISA) but this morning FISA spokesman Gautam Gupta said the rally was hijacked by people with their own agenda.
FISA said in a statement on its website the rally aimed to create an awareness about an increasing number of what it called "hate crimes" in Victoria and to promote racial harmony and peace.
"I think absolutely they should have left because we are seeking peace, we are seeking non-violence, and we should be leading by example. And this is no way to lead by example," he said.
"Unfortunately the whole thing was hijacked by people with their own intention."
A 22-year-old man was arrested at the protest yesterday and is facing charges of riotous behaviour and criminal damage.
Indian students say they pump billions of dollars into Australia's education sector, but believe their concerns about what they say are racially-motivated attacks are not being taken seriously.
Concerns about violence against Indian students were raised by the Indian Prime Minister and the Indian High Commissioner to Australia last week.
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