“We made history”: Public board ends controversial cops-in-schools program as 100 protesters shut down Main Street

They blocked traffic on Main Street, danced in a downpour and chanted that Black lives matter.

Six hours later, close to 100 students, former students and supporters erupted in cheers downtown after listening to the school board vote to end a controversial police liaison program in Hamilton public schools.

We made history," shouted a dancing Greg Dongen, a member of a coalition of Black and racialized residents calling for police to be defunded" - and in this case, for cops to be pulled out of local schools.

The protest started Monday before 5 p.m. with a march down Main Street East that quickly took over the intersection of Main and Bay Street, forcing police to divert car traffic.

Protest participants then staged a sit-in" on Main Street near city hall as they awaited a debate on whether to end a contentious police liaison program in schools that some Black students have said makes them feel fearful or unfairly targeted.

Dozens of demonstrators danced in a heavy downpour Monday evening before settling in to listen to most of a six-hour meeting over a set of loudspeakers.

We want a full termination of this program," said coalition member and student Gachi Issa. Our voices, our stories, our experiences should be taken into account."

The program sends 11 officers into close to 200 high school and elementary schools across the public board.

The board had previously voted to review the program, but decided Monday to terminate" and review issues with the 25-year partnership with an eye to developing unspecified alternatives.

The end of the proactive" program does not mean police will stop going into schools for legislatively mandated" functions like training for emergencies, noted Sharon Stephanian, superintendent of equity and well-being.

But the vote means proactive policing" efforts inside schools, including presentations on drugs and sexting, ceremonial activities and outreach and mediation efforts will stop - at least for now.

Some board members expressed hope a different partnership" with police could be explored in future, while others opposed the termination.

But trustee Cam Galindo - who earned a cheer by voting to end the program by phone while standing at the downtown protest - said the school board has more than two decades to fix the program. Enough is enough," he said.

Matthew Van Dongen is a Hamilton-based reporter covering transportation for The Spectator. Reach him via email: mvandongen@thespec.com