In another twist in the campaign to stop the McDonald’s in Tecoma, the CFMEU today (July  3rd) pulled their members off the site early this morning citing safety concerns. Workers all had left the site by 9.15 AM. The Union leadership will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the matter further but no workers are expected on the site tomorrow.

The SMH online reported “CFMEU assistant secretary Shaun Reardon as stating “The people of Tecoma have the right to protest over inappropriate developments in their community and the CFMEU will be showing all due respect until their issues are resolved,” Mr Reardon said.”

This is obviously potentially a huge victory for the campaign. Please go to the CFMEU Facebook page  or Twitter account to send them a message of appreciation for their actions and solidarity with our campaign.

Even though workers left the site, the protest obviously continued. Our three roof top occupiers continued their brave vigil. Today was in fact Janine’s 50^th Birthday and she received a cake, a rousing rendition of happy birthday and even a meal from Saffron Cottage to help her celebrate. She would love others to join her on her rooftop protest though as a special present! People also maintained a presence on the ground all day.

Please get down to the site tomorrow (Thursday) early or throughout the day to both show support to the roof occupiers (and keep them company) but also to show McDonald’s and the public that we are continuing to build the momentum of our resistance.

In addition to maximising numbers at our vital daily blockade of the site and roof top occupation, some upcoming events include a Reflective Walk in the National Park on July 6^th,  Community BBQ/Lunch on Sunday 7^th of July at the site, VCAT/FED Square March Tuesday July 9^th. See the Get Mactivated Facebook page for details of these events.

Next Site Meeting: 4.30 PM Thursday July 4^th at the site out the front of the Old Dairy/DVD Destination

Tuesday 2^nd July once again saw hundreds of protesters come down to the site throughout the day to continue to resist the demolition of the old Hazelvale Dairy building by the McDonald’s Corporation. Once again scores of police and private security were there to enforce McDonald’s “rights” to trample on the overwhelming community opposition to their actions.

Our brave four roof occupiers remained on the roof all night and throughout the day and they provided a dramatic heart to the protest. Today also saw the level of organised resistance on the ground increase with people sitting down or lying down in front of contractor’s vehicles on a number of occasions with police moving in to remove them but not making arrests.

The day brought a stream of bad PR for McDonalds again as the mass media covered the story extensively. The day started with an interview on the national “Sunrise” program on Chanel Seven where Kochie said that he would try to line up an on air interview between a campaigner and Macca’s CEO Catriona Noble. Coverage again occurred on 3AW, 774, commercial television networks,online news and a story appeared in both the Herald Sun and Age papers.

Be on site tomorrow at 7AM when Channel 7 will again be filming and also to start the blockade bright and early! However getting down at anytime of the day is helpful. An onsite meeting will occur on 4.30PM for a review of the day and to plan for the night ahead.

RESISTANCE IS FERTILE

Footage of the some of the spirited resistance on the blockade

Early on Monday 1^st July, a force of over 35 police and approximately 20 private security guards moved in to escort contractors onto the site of the proposed Tecoma McDonald’s. Machinery was moved into place on the land of the former protest community garden adjacent to the old Dairy. 2.4m high black hoardings had been erected around most of the site by the days end.

A crowd quickly gathered on the site as the word went out over sms, email and Facebook and built to a couple of hundred throughout the day. Two protesters snuck through the police lines at around 8AM and scaled the roof onto the dairy. They were joined later in the morning by two other protesters who also got through the police and security. Throughout the day, despite the best efforts of police, food, blankets, a tent, banners and signs all went up on the roof too! During the day one protester got off the roof and was told by police they would receive a summons in the mail for trespass. However the tally on the roof went back up to four when another person managed to scale onto the roof. The four now up there have no intention of coming down and are determined to delay the demolition of the building as long as possible.

The day also saw the protest covered on all commercial TV networks, across radio and on the Age website. Channel 7 Sunrise will be doing a live cross to the blockade at around 7.30AM on Tuesday 2^nd of July. As many people as possible are needed for this cross.

Please get down the site early as possible on Tuesday if you can but please come down whenever you can during the day.

This is a community who will not be bullied into submission. They will not go quietly so that McDonald’s can bulldoze the town we know and love. We will not go quietly RESISTANCE IS FERTILE