TONY Abbott was forced to cut short a visit to an Arncliffe polling booth on election day after he was jostled by angry protesters.
The then-Opposition Leader visited Athelstane Public School on Saturday morning to support Liberal candidate for Barton, Nick Varvaris.
As Mr Abbott stepped from his car he was surrounded by refugee supporters and others who heckled him and told him he wasn't welcome.
Liberal supporters also crowded around, chanting his name.
After five minutes, during which Mr Abbott could barely move through the throng, his security team ushered him back to his car.
Independent candidate for Barton, Michael Nagi, who was present and talked to Mr Abbott, described it as an "ambush".
"The people who caused the trouble were outsiders, not from our area," he said.
Mr Abbott's plan to visit Barton was reported on TV on Friday night, so protesters knew where to go.
Mr Nagi said a large media contingent arrived an hour before Mr Abbott, followed "about 20 minutes later" by the protesters.
"They waited very quietly on the side of the road until Tony Abbott arrived," he said.
