Picket Knitters

[bluecat*dancing]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/east/picket-knitters-create-11m-banner-saying-maccas-still-not-we...

THREE months of knitting squares in protest against Tecoma McDonald’s has produced an 11m long banner – which could end up in a museum.

More than 20 Picket Knitters have kept a vigil at the construction site, knitting a whopping 138 squares made up of 150,000 stitches.

The squares have been made into a banner which reads: “Maccas still not welcome in Tecoma”.

No Macca’s in the Dandenong Ranges spokesman Garry Muratore said it could potentially be displayed at the Museum of Public Democracy in Ballarat, ­before being unpicked and turned into blankets for the homeless.

The group of predominantly knitting nanas has been keeping vigil at the site for the past six months.

But three months ago they decided to knit same-sized squares and combine their efforts to produce something to symbolise their protest.

On January 30, the Picket Knitters stood in front of the construction site to display the banner.

Although the project is completed, they haven’t downed needles, and are back at their post furiously clicking for the cause – still producing squares.

Mr Muratore said the protesters would be attending a public meeting on March 2, at the Tecoma Primary School, to discuss the “next stage of strategy”.

Meanwhile the skeleton of the McDonald’s outlet has already been constructed.

[icyfroth]

I love that. A display of dedication and unity of ppl with a common cause.

Rats to MacDonalds.

Although I must admit I've been disloyal and had macca's at least twice since this topic was last discussed.

[purple_haize]

The protesters  are there every day, without fail.

Driving past yesterday one protester was chalking something on the front board, security guard came up and took a photo of her.............how pathetic are McDoalds in wanting photos.

Anyway, construction is months behind, hopefully it will never get built................it is going to look really out of place in Tecoma.

[debra9275]

I didn't realize the protests were still going.  Good on the residents for standing up to them

[freakiness]

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@purple_haize wrote:

The protesters  are there every day, without fail.

Driving past yesterday one protester was chalking something on the front board, security guard came up and took a photo of her.............how pathetic are McDoalds in wanting photos.

Anyway, construction is months behind, hopefully it will never get built................it is going to look really out of place in Tecoma.

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Good on them for standing up for what they believe in for their area. Lets hope the govt. doesn't get away with outlawing protests against businesses.

[purple_haize]

Deb, they are there every day, even in the heat and when it is raining...............hills folks dont give up!

[debra9275]

Good on therm PH  ... I am 100% behind them too

[*mrgrizz*]

well if they are so sure their town doesn't want a maccas, they should stop protesting.

once it is open, and if no one in the town wants it, that means no one will go there and it will soon close.

[j*oono]

Good for them!  There is a new MacDonalds being built quite close to me but I haven't eaten MacDonalds food for at least a decade.

[bluecat*dancing]

Grizz, 9 out 10 locals said "no", the local Council said "no" but VCAT said  "yes".  The protest will continue until McDonald's are gone from Tecoma. The beautiful Dandenong Ranges is no place for a 24hr, drive through, fast food restaurant. It has been a while since I have been on the picket line but once a few health issues have been attended to I will be there, standing alongside the hills folk.