No Maccas in the Hills spokesman Garry Muratore said about 50 police officers "ringed the site" in the town of Tecoma at 4am, but were quickly met by more than 100 local protesters.

Although the protesters were unable to get close enough to see what was happening on the roof, Mr Muratore said, they did see the roof protester, believed to be a 24-year-old masters student from Upwey, waving and singing about 5.30am.

Moments later they saw a cherry-picker moving across the roof, he said.

Peta Freeman, also a member of the No Maccas in the Hills group, said police had confirmed the woman was removed from the roof and "she was safe" shortly before 7am.

"It was very surreal this morning," Ms Freeman said. "There were about 20 police officers standing across Burwood Highway shoulder to shoulder in a very militant stance blocking the road." There were another group at the back of the site and a row of police cars, she said.

"This is something Tecoma has never ever experienced, the size of police presence and this militant style of policing," "It's been an incredible amount of overkill, we've been a peaceful process from the beginning so I can't understand how this level of response is in any way justified."

Mr Muratore expressed anger at the pre-dawn move to remove the roof protester and block the site, which he claims has followed failed community attempts to sit down with the fast food conglomerate.

"If communities protest development, is this what we can expect now?" he said.

"We've constantly called on McDonald's to meet with our elected representatives at all levels of government, to talk this through, but McDonald's would rather talk to us through the courts."

He said the group planned to continue protesting throughout the day and expect numbers to swell later in the morning.

"They can't come in under cover of night, the community doesn't want this, they aren't welcome," he said.

A Victoria Police spokesman has confirmed a woman was removed from a roof and taken into police custody as part of an operation in the area on Tuesday morning.

He said the police involvement had been to "facilitate safe access to the building site for contractors".

"The site was safely secured and we'll continue to have a presence at the site to ensure the safety of all persons involved," the spokesman said.

A spokeswoman for McDonald’s said: ‘‘This morning police responded to an individual who has been breaking the law. We’ve always respected people's right to express their opinions but not when it puts themselves or others at risk.

‘‘We have followed due legal process every step of the way to build a family restaurant in an area, on a highway, that is appropriately zoned and have an approved planning permit to do so. We’re ready to get on with it and know there is much support from within the community. We have a great franchisee from the area who is about to create 100 local jobs, provide accredited training and work experience.

‘‘Assertions that we have not consulted with the community are simply not true. In April this year we had a face-to-face meeting with Garry Muratore and five other representatives from the local community to hear their concerns.’’

The spokeswoman said this followed two years of consultation, which included meetings with the local council and a community group, as well as drop-in information sessions for residents.