Police have arrested three people and told squatters to leave a Melbourne house bought for the dumped East West Link.
Up to 30 police officers and security guards attended to the Bendigo Street residence in Collingwood this morning to remove a dozen squatters after months of protest.
Authorities and government officers had been attempting to remove the squatters from the property for months and were working with the Salvation Army to find them legal accommodation.
Main occupant Frank Hayes, from Gippsland, was arrested over outstanding warrants and told 9NEWS the government “owed” him.
"They’ve over-stepped the mark… they’re in the wrong," Mr Hayes said.
"I’m not gonna lay down. I'm not gonna lay down. Government owes me mate".
"They want a treaty but they want to kick me out of my house I haven't had in 54 years, my first house."
Two women were also arrested over what police said was stolen property.
Homeless Persons' Union's Kelly Whitworth, who previously lived in another house on Bendigo Street, said the government's handling of the situation was "unnecessary".
"They've had a lot of time to attend to this properly but they've chosen not to," Ms Whitworth said.
"They've come in here jackboot style with police and it's just really unnecessary."
Furniture and household items were removed from the house and put into two removalists' vans before Bendigo Street residents and other bystanders recovered them and took them to other houses.