A man who was taken to the West End police station by five heavily-armed officers for writing in chalk, "I heart bikies", on the footpath of the suburb's main street has labelled the reaction "ridiculous" and "overkill".

Police say only three officers spoke to him, including one plainclothes civilian who worked at the station.

The man, who was not charged but forced to clean up the writing, is still worried by the Melbourne Cup Day incident and refuses to use his name in this story.

The West End photographer, who did not want to be named, was walking to work with his girlfriend along Boundary Street at West End on Tuesday when he saw some chalk.