‘Very concerned’: Black community leaders renew call for independent review into arrest of Hamilton housing activists

Black community leaders have called on the Hamilton police services board to conduct an independent review into police actions during arrests of encampment protesters last year.

The call comes just weeks after the board announced through a statement that they would not support a judicial inquiry into those arrests and that such an inquiry is outside the scope of its mandate.

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, Hamilton Encampment Support Network 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 Special Investigations Unit had announced a probe into a report of a serious injury" sustained by a protester that day, but it was later dropped.

Speaking to the board Friday afternoon, Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion executive director Kojo Damptey replayed the Nov. 26 video, noting that police actions that day left members of the Black community feeling very concerned."

Damptey then called on the board to reconsider" supporting an independent review - similar to the inquiry into homophobic violence at Hamilton Pride in 2019.

We know that some Black community members have to work with the police ... to build that trust and communication," said Damptey. If this doesn't happen, it's going to be very, very difficult."

Lyndon George, director of the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre, echoed that call, while noting that the board's earlier decision to not support any additional reviews of the arrests undermines the ability" to rebuild that trust.

George said previously released use-of-force data, which showed that it disproportionately" affects racialized people in the city, also underlined the need.

This is why we're calling for there to be an independent review," he said. The ability to have trust, accountability and transparency are key in policing."

Chief Frank Bergen, who did not respond directly to the pair of delegations, addressed the call for an independent review during his remarks later on in the meeting.

While Bergen did not say the board would engage an independent review, he noted that the force remains committed to relationship building" through a transparent, codesigned community process."

Protesters and their supporters continue to demand the criminal charges against the six people arrested be dropped.

Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com