Evicted: Protester Janine Watson is told to leave the vacant site near the proposed Tecoma McDonald's restaurant. Picture: John Weeks
POLICE have forced protesters out from the Tecoma McDonald's site, where they had been staging a sit-in for the past month.
Up to 12 police officers arrived at the site about 8am on Friday and removed all tents and camping equipment.
The land had been solely occupied overnight by protester Janine Watson, who camped at the community garden for over a month.
Ms Watson refused to hand over her phone to police and the owner of the land when was she was approached
"I just managed to get a message on Facebook that police were here," she said.
Objectors reoccupied the vacant lot again on Sunday after finding an open side entrance to host a devonshire tea and reclaim the land.
Police then requested about 60 people leave the property after three hours.
The legal avenues to appeal the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal's decision to grant McDonald's a permit to build in Tecoma have now expired. The Tecoma Village Action Group had received several offers from lawyers and barristers to represent its case pro bono, but the group could still not find help in funding the costs of the appeal itself.
TVAG president Nicole Gale said the Supreme Court could only rule on matters of law and not simply overturn VCAT's judgment.
McDonald's spokeswoman Skye Oxenham confirmed that McDonald's had completed purchase of the Burwood Highway land and was not open to the idea of a community buy-back of the site. "While some members of the community are unhappy with the VCAT decision, there are also many who are supportive of a McDonald's opening in Tecoma."
— with The Age