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Warrants issued for subdivision occupiers

Karen Best - Staff Writer
Haldimand Review
Local News - Friday, March 31, 2006 @ 09:00

[SISIS note: The following mainstream news article is provided for reference only, as an example of how mainstream media treats indigenous resistance to genocide. Mainstream media often presents biased and distorted information, lacking pertinent facts and/or context. Inclusion of this article on our site should not be considered an endorsement by SISIS.]

CALEDONIA -- After a judge amended a contempt of court order on March 28, anyone occupying a Caledonia subdivision faced imminent arrest.

"There's been a warrant of arrest issued pursuant to the amended order,"said Christopher Diana of the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General. He has represented the OPP through a series of hearings related to a March 3 injunction that ordered occupiers to leave the Douglas Creek Estates subdivision.

Once warrants have been issued, the OPP have a statutory obligation to enforce them, said Diana. It is within their discretion as to when and how they enforce the orders, he added.

Since Feb. 28, several members of the Six Nations community and others, including natives from other territories, have occupied the subdivision under development by Henco Industries.

According to Diana, the Crown Attorney's office uncovered some ambiguities in a contempt of court order issued on March 17 by Ontario Superior Court judge David Marshall.

Diana said the Crown insisted on clarifications on how police should handle the order, which was streamlined with the latest change.

Prior to the latest hearing, OPPalso identified some concerns that were relayed to the Crown Attorney's office.

Under the amended order the passing of sentence is suspended and those arrested will be released on six months probation. Conditions of the probation order include finger printing and photographs. Those arrested and found at the site cannot come within 100 feet of the subdivision for indefinite period of time. Only individuals who refuse to leave face a possible arrest.

At an earlier hearing where occupiers were found guilty of criminal and civil contempt of the injunction, Owen Young of the Attorney General office suggested that the Crown Attorney be involved in the case of arrests. The changes to the original order were the result of subsequent consultations with the Crown, said Diana.

The original order authorized police to attend the subdivision and to give protesters an opportunity to leave. Those who remained were to be arrested and taken to the detachment for finger printing and photographs. They would receive a suspended sentence of 30 days. Any individual who returned to the property within six months would face time in jail and would receive a criminal record.

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