Another charge for protester

Another charge for protester

January 03, 2008
Paul Legall
The Hamilton Spectator
CAYUGA ( Jan 3, 2008 )

A native protester learned yesterday he’ll be facing an additional charge of assaulting police in connect-ion with his arrest at a Caledonia building site last fall.

The charge against Ronald Cook, 31, of Akwasasne, N.Y., was sworn out by Cayuga OPP on Oct. 15, 2007, but was brought before a justice of the peace for the first time yesterday.

Cook was one of nine persons charged Sept. 19, 2007, when a heavily-armed OPP riot squad removed a pocket of protesters from the Stirling Woods residential building site in Caledonia.

At the time of his arrest, he was charged with mischief for allegedly interfering with private property and possession of a prohibited weapon. He was released the next day on $2,500 bail.

Cook and the eight other protesters, who face similar charges, also appeared before a justice of the peace and were all remanded out of custody until their next court appearance on Jan. 30.

Skyler Williams, 24, who also faces charges in the Stirling Woods protest, spent a few minutes in the court house holding cells yesterday after one of his sureties pulled the $5,000 she had pledged to secure his release two and a half months ago. But he was set free again after his father, Bill Williams, came forward and pledged another $5,000 to secure his release. He had originally pledged $20,000 when his son was first freed on Oct. 26, 2007.

Skyler’s bail conditions won’t change as a result of these developments. Like other Stirling protesters, he was ordered to return to court on Jan. 30.