Protesters in Melbourne want Australians to use whatever means necessary to close the "torture camps" on Manus Island.

Days after shots were fired at the Papua New Guinea detention centre, about 150 protesters gathered in Melbourne to call it to be closed.

"We should defend these refugees using whatever means necessary," Tamil Refugee Council spokesman Aran Mylvaganam told the crowd today.

"Our government will not do it because this is what they wanted to see.

"They want to torture these refugees so that others who are waiting to flee their countries will not choose to come here."

Mr Mylvaganam called on Australians and the trade union movement to "lead the fight back" and close what he called torture camps.