Moment Carols by Candlelight is crashed by a pro-Palestinian protesters – who drown out Christmas cheer with political chants

Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted Chanel Nine's Carols by Candlelight extravaganza by grabbing the host's microphone.

During the broadcast at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl, presenters David Campbell and Sarah Abo were drowned out by chants of 'Free Palestine'.

Moments later, several protesters carrying Palestinian flags stormed the stage as cameras opened a wide shot.

'While you're singing, children are dying in Gaza!' a voice shouted into the microphone before security dragged her away along with the other protesters.

A stunned Campbell tried to defuse the tense situation as young families looked on in horror.

“Just take it easy, it's okay,” Campbell said. “Everyone, relax and unwind.”

'Everyone can have their say, but we do have children here. We just want to make sure those kids are safe. They'll be right back here,” he added, referring to the performers on stage.

“It's a very difficult time in the world right now and there's a lot of pain out there.”

Security and hosts were praised for their handling of the ordeal.

But many viewers lashed out at the protesters, calling it a “disgrace.”

'Protesting Christmas carols is an interesting choice, especially when there are children on stage. I'm incredibly impressed with the way the hosts handled it,” someone wrote on X.

The start-up protest followed a day of Palestinian protests in Melbourne and in Sydney's Hyde Park (pictured) for the eleventh week in a row.

Another said: 'What a shame to try and spoil a great Christmas Eve for everyone, this isn't the place to do that.'

A third added: 'I'm all for people having their say but there's a place and a time and an event full of kids, right.

“I don't condone or agree with what is happening to innocent people in Palestine, but I don't agree with this either.”