Police work during protest applauded (by police)

Police work during protest applauded

The Kingston Whig-Standard, Ontario
May 2, 2008

The chief of the Tyendinaga Police Service applauded the efforts of the Ontario Provincial Police in dealing with a fiery demonstration last week in Deseronto.

“It was apparent during these cooperative efforts that the OPP demonstrated a commitment to respect the Mohawk’s legitimate claim to these ancestral lands and a conscientious effort to respect the values of our culture and traditions,” the statement read.

On April 21, a group of native protesters set up blockades at various points in Deseronto but removed themselves from the village the following day after the arrival of the OPP’s Public Order Unit. The demonstrators moved back to a quarry along Deseronto Road, which they have occupied since last March.

On April 25, after the arrest of well-known protester Shawn Brant, a confrontation between provincial police and demonstrators erupted into violence along the road, which ended with two police officers sustaining injuries and four protesters charged criminally.