Anti-budget protesters take action at Topsail Road McDonald's

Eight people spent Saturday morning trying to block customer access to the McDonald's restaurant on Topsail Road in St. John's, in attempt to send an anti-budgetmessage to provincial Finance Minister Cathy Bennett, who they say owns the business.

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TomBeckett, who organized the action, said while heunderstands trying to deter customers from going to abusiness may seem unethical, he says 'desperate measures' are needed to try and get people's attention.

"The regularkinds of protest such as letters, telephone calls, talking toMHAsetc.,don't seem to be heard," Beckett told CBC'sWeekend AM from the protest site.

"Sosomethinga little bit more non-traditional has to be taken inorderto get the attention of the premier and the minister of finance and this is non-traditional."

Calling for changesto 'unfair' budget

The small group of protestors spentthe morning walking back and forth in front of the entrance to theMcDonald's location, in an attempt to deter vehicles from going in, whichBeckett said was working in some cases.

"I'd say we've diverted a number of people up to Burger King," he said."There's only really been one or two irate people who really have to get their McCaf."

Beckettsaid the protestorsplanned to stay in the parking lot until 1 p.m., sending a message to Cathy Bennett that the recent provincial budget is unfair to low-income earners and small businesses.

He said they want to see higher-earners pay a fairer share of taxes than the latest budget requires them to.

"She's trying to pick my pocket, she's trying to pick the pocket of a lot of people who arestrugglingto get throughthesedays," Beckett said.

"And for some reason, she's decided that her buddies, whose income is above $90,000, don't really have to pay their share.I don't mind paying more on income tax, what I get really upset about is people who are on low incomes, minimum wage, they can't survive on it."