Ignorance flooded Bendigo streets last night, as a tide of anti-Muslim sentiment forced councillors to leave a meeting under police guard.

Around 80 protesters swamped a regular council meeting at Bendigo Town Hall overnight to vent their fear-based feelings about the construction of the rural Victorian city’s first mosque.

The angry mob wanted to stop the building of the mosque because its purpose confused and therefore infuriated them.

They hurled abuse at Greater Bendigo Mayor Peter Cox and his fellow councillors over the planned mosque, which it gave the green light to in 2014 and which has already been approved by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Protesters shouted “no mosque” and called the Mayor a “traitor” - despite the mosque not being on the agenda - forcing the monthly council meeting to close prematurely.

Four police members had to clear protestors from the council chamber, including physically removing a female protester from the mayor’s seat, which she leapt into when the councillors left the chamber.

ABC reports say the woman was Julie Hoskin, and leader of the movement who was met with shouts of “Julie for Mayor” when she took the seat.

Mayor Cox - an outspoken supporter of the mosque - 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.”

He said questions from the gallery may have to be suspended for the next council meeting.

Victoria Police has issued a statement saying the police escort was provided “to ensure there was no breach of the peace”.

“There were no assaults and no reports of criminal activity has been reported,” it said.

Flyers have been spotted as a far away as Melbourne calling for anti-racist demonstrators to gather for an upcoming demonstration in Bendigo, causing concern that angry clashes will soon be seen again.

The presence of protestors has been prompted, or at least promoted, by Facebook groups including Voices of Bendigo and Stop the Bendigo Mosque.

The page features some enlightening forays into a niche intellect.

Exemplary quotes – with spelling and grammar left as written - include;

“My forfathers bred me to be like all cultures and I cannot be racist my forfathers faught for peace.”

“The moslems are allowed to yell chant show slogans saying death to those who oppose islam death to infidels etc etc its discrimination against the average aussie.”

“These men scare the hell out of me, do we want these type of men walking the streets of Bendigo (or any other town) to go to their Mosques. No way.”

The movement in Bendigo also has the vocal support of the outwardly-xenophobic United Patriots Front. 

The Mayor can be seen leaving the meeting under police guard in the video below.