Students protesting against university fee deregulation in Sydney were pepper sprayed by police Friday morning.
The protesters were gathered outside the Masonic Centre in the central business district, as Education Minister Christopher Pyne delivered a lecture on the future of teacher education in Australia.
Just after 11 a.m., a group of 40 protesters attempted to storm the building, according to the ABC. Footage shows the moment the police used pepper spray to subdue the protesters who were attempting to enter the building.
The group were pushed back by a number of police officers, before they were sprayed.
Witnesses came to the aid of the protesters with cartons of milk, which they poured on the affected students' eyes in an attempt to stop the burning sensation. Some were treated by paramedics at the scene.
New South Wales Police have yet to release a statement regarding the incident.
BREAKING: Police have used tear gas on students during a protest against Pyne's education reforms this morning pic.twitter.com/1NxRVjSr2c— Honi Soit (@honi_soit) February 13, 2015
Students trying to enter the Sydney Masonic centre where Christopher Pyne is speaking say they were pepper sprayed pic.twitter.com/Me0ey0C6cc— Rebecca Barrett (@becjbarr) February 13, 2015
STUDENTS PEPPER SPRAYED AT #ACELCHAT #HEDLEYLECTURE pic.twitter.com/Gt6QfWL4I7— rafiiiii (@rafialarm) February 13, 2015
YAY DEMOCRACY! pic.twitter.com/UT41SLWRzf— Steele Saunders (@SteeleSaunders) February 13, 2015