Police officers detain a protester in Sydney on Saturday. AFP

Australian police clashed with hundreds of anti-lockdown protesters in Sydney and Melbourne on Saturday, while smaller groups of protesters were prevented from congregating in Sydney by a large contingent of riot police.

Officials reported a total of 886 infections, the highest ever single-day rise in Covid-19 cases, in New South Wales and Victoria states, with the vast bulk in Sydney.

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Mounted police used pepper spray in Melbourne to break up crowds surging toward police lines.

A policeman pepper sprays a protester during an anti-lockdown rally in Melbourne on Saturday. AFP

A city of over 5 million people, Sydney has been in a strict lockdown for more than two months now, failing so far to contain an outbreak that has spread across internal borders.

More than 1,500 police officers were deployed on Sydney's streets on Saturday, trains were ordered to bypass major city stations and rideshares were banned to the city centre as police tried to prevent an unauthorised anti-lockdown protest.

There was no information immediately available on arrests. Police in Victoria had vowed to hand out fines of $3,600 to any protester they could identify taking part.

The State Health Minister Brad Hazzard said, “We are in a very serious situation here in New South Wales. There is no time now to be selfish, it’s time to think of the broader community and your families.”

New South Wales police prepare an inspection lane on the M1 motorway heading towards downtown Sydney. AFP

New South Wales officials reported three deaths and 516 people in hospital on Saturday. Of the 85 people in intensive care, 76 were unvaccinated, officials said.