Police release accused Caledonia blockade breaker

CTV.ca News Staff
Fri. May. 19 2006 9:42 AM ET

[SISIS note: The following mainstream news article is provided for reference only, as an example of how mainstream media treats indigenous resistance to genocide. Mainstream media often presents biased and distorted information, lacking pertinent facts and/or context. Inclusion of this article on our site should not be considered an endorsement by SISIS.]

Police released a man late Thursday night who was accused of endangering aboriginal protesters at the Caledonia barricades.

Ron Desroches, 18, from Ingersol, Ont., was arrested by volunteers and handed over to the Ontario Provincial Police after a vehicle narrowly missed protesters grouped behind barriers.

Protesters reportedly said that Desroches drove through the barricade and started to cause trouble for the people blocking the roadway.

A pellet gun and camouflage gear was allegedly found in the vehicle. Those items were also handed over to the OPP.

The incident happened while protesters were reportedly talking about removing the blockade for the holiday weekend.

After his release, Desroches told a Hamilton-based television station that he had just moved to Simcoe and became lost while trying to drive home.

Desroches - who said he is a military reservist -- claimed his life was threatened, he was blindfolded and forced to apologize on camera.

He said a charge against him was dropped but that his car and a cellphone were being held by the OPP for 24 hours.

Protesters erected barricades on Feb. 28 across a roadway and a group of native activists moved onto a construction site, which backs onto a reservation near Hamilton, Ont.

The protestors argue that the site was part of a large land grant back in 1784, but the provincial and federal governments insist the land was surrendered in 1841 to help build a major highway.

With files from The Canadian Press