Caledonia land occupation criminal cases move through courts

Roughly half of the 33 people arrested in connection with 1492 Land Back Lane, the Six Nations-led occupation of a Caledonia construction site, had a court appearance on Tuesday.

On the docket at the Ontario Court of Justice in Cayuga were Six Nations land defender Skyler Williams - spokesperson for the group claiming the McKenzie Meadows site as unceded Haudenosaunee territory - and Courtney Skye, a research fellow with an Indigenous think tank, the Yellowhead Institute.

Williams and Skye had their cases put over to Jan. 12, as did four other people from Six Nations and nine from around the province who stand charged with mischief and breaching a court order by being on the disputed property.

Among those in court were nine land defenders arrested on Aug. 5 when the OPP enforced Justice R. John Harper's court order to clear the site, which had been occupied since July 19. Land defenders returned later that night and have remained ever since.

Some of the accused face assault charges from that clash with police, and one Six Nations woman is accused of arson and breaching the Railway Safety Act.

Toronto-based lawyer Ian MacCuaig acted as agent for most of the defendants. He asked the court for time to review evidence disclosed by the Crown and get direction from the defendants about retaining legal counsel.

A GoFundMe fundraiser to cover legal costs for land defenders and their allies has raised over $340,000 of its $500,000 goal.

The legal team is preparing for the long court battles ahead," the Land Back group said in a statement.

Indigenous journalist Karl Dockstader briefly appeared in court on Tuesday, with his hearing put over until Dec. 15. Dockstader has been reporting from 1492 Land Back Lane for his weekly radio show One Dish, One Mic, which airs on a Niagara radio station.

In September, Dockstader was charged with disobeying the court order by being on the site, but has since been given permission by the OPP to resume reporting on location while his case is before the courts.

J.P. Antonacci's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows him to report on stories about the regions of Haldimand and Norfolk.