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Bizarre riot erupts at dart competition

An international darts competition erupted into a bizarre display of violence after spectators clad in fancy dress started throwing plastic chairs and jumping on tables.

The annual Invitational Darts Challenge at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne started building a pyramid of furniture about 9:00pm (AEDT) between Simon The Wizard Whitlock and Mighty Michael van Gerwen.


Police were called and about 40 audience members were removed from the venue.

No arrests were made and no-one was injured.

World number one Michael van Gerwen was not impressed after the ordeal.

An Oompa Loompa looks worried as spectators erupt into violence at the Invitational Darts Challenge in Melbourne. Photo: Getty
An Oompa Loompa looks worried as spectators erupt into violence at the Invitational Darts Challenge in Melbourne. Photo: Getty
The crowd 'took on a riot mentally' quickly, a security guard at the Invitational Darts Challenge said. Photo: Getty
The crowd 'took on a riot mentally' quickly, a security guard at the Invitational Darts Challenge said. Photo: Getty

"The look on his face after he won, it was a look not of victory, but one of pure disgust,"

"I've never seen anything like it. It wasn't good for the sport, it wasn't good for the city's image. I thought it was terrible," an eye witness told The Age.

A spokesman for the venue, Bill Lane, told ABC it was appalling and juvenile behaviour from a small minority.

Spectators in fancy dress soon because enthralled in their own games of plastic thrones after a dart competition in Melbourne turned violent. Photo: Getty
Spectators in fancy dress soon because enthralled in their own games of plastic thrones after a dart competition in Melbourne turned violent. Photo: Getty

"The MC and one of the competitors, who in fact is the reigning world number one Michael Van Gerwen, they called for a restore to order and to a degree there was a positive response," he said.

"So there was a disruption of about 15, 20 minutes."

Morning news break –January 11