Supporters of housing advocates want charges dropped

Supporters of the six Hamilton housing advocates arrested in November are again demanding those in power drop the charges and launch a judicial review into police’s handling of the arrests.

In a virtual news conference Monday morning, supporters of the arrested Hamilton Encampment Support Network (HESN) protesters said they hope to make their case at a Hamilton Police Services Board meeting on Jan. 24. They are also launching a letter-writing and phone-calling campaign that will enable the public to issue their own calls to prosecutors, police and city council for the charges to be dropped.

“What happened last November is yet another example of a city criminalizing poverty,” said the Ontario Federation of Labour’s Ahmad Gaied at the Monday news conference. “Simply put, it is unacceptable.”

The arrests took place over a three-day period in late November, at a time when the city was evicting homeless residents from tent encampments in city parks. On Nov. 24, HESN protesters gathered at J.C. Beemer Park to support residents who were being evicted amid a fire that destroyed tents and belongings.

Video and photos from that day depict a chaotic scene: protesters were filmed breaking through police tape and police responded by dragging one protester along the ground and pinning another to the ground.

The woman who was pinned says the officer’s knee was on her neck. Police called it a “shoulder pin.”

Police also arrested protesters outside Hamilton police central station on Nov. 26. Video shows police tackling protesters to the ground.

The arm’s-length Special Investigations Unit is investigating a report of a “serious injury” sustained by a 24-year-old arrested that day. The SIU probes incidents involving police in Ontario in which someone dies, is seriously hurt or there is an allegation of sexual assault.

Sarah Jama, one of the protesters arrested, provided an update on the court proceedings, saying protesters’ bail conditions have been amended.

While they were initially banned from parks, they are now allowed to return, but can’t protest.

Jama said if the charges aren’t dropped, all six will fight the charges in court.

The Ministry of the Attorney General and Hamilton police have routinely said they can’t comment on the matter as it is before the courts and the SIU is investigating.