A man needed to be taken to hospital after a brawl at a Liberal Party branch meeting at Arncliffe on Monday night.
The meeting was held at Naji's Charcoal Chicken & Kebabs eatery in Firth Street, which is owned by Michael Nagi, a Liberal councillor for Bayside Council.
A witness told 9 News an elderly woman was pushed to the ground and trampled when she went to the aid of a man who was being bashed on the ground.
“They started trampling her and hitting her as well,” the witness said.
“Then they took him outside and started bashing him.
“They were using tables and chairs to bash him.”
A police spokesman said, when officers arrived at the cafe just before 7pm, they saw “numerous people running from the location”.
“One man, believed to be aged in his 40s was taken to St George Hospital where he was being treated for minor injuries,” the spokesman said.
“Police are now attempting to piece together exactly what happened and how many people were involved.
“They are appealing for anyone who may have vision of the incident to come forward.”
Fairfax Media reported the meeting was believed to have turned ugly after an attempt by the moderate faction, which includes Cr Nagi, to allow the Earlwood area into the Bayside branch.
Earlwood, which is controlled by the moderates, has never been a part of the Bayside branch.
This would have constituted what those on the right of the party would class as a "hostile takeover" of their factional control, but a resolution was never reached because the disagreement turned violent.
Nine Network reporter Chris O'Keefe took a photograph of one man with blood running from an injury on the left side of his head.
The Liberal Party said in a statement it would "fully cooperate" with police, as well as make their own inquiries.
"An internal investigation will also be undertaken and disciplinary action taken against those responsible," the party said.
"The Liberal Party strongly condemns the kind of behaviour that is alleged to have occurred."
Arncliffe is in the federal seat of Barton and the state seat of Rockdale, both of which are held by Labor MPs.
Craig Kelly, the federal Liberal MP for the nearby seat of Hughes from the party's right faction, described the incident as "appalling conduct."
"Violence, factional stacks and power grabs should have no place in the Liberal Party," he said.
"If we are to be successful as an organisation, unity and remembering that Labor/Greens are the enemy is essential," he told Fairfax Media.
Mr Kelly is facing a preselection challenge from the moderates in the Liberal party.
