News crew hurt covering Caledonia standoff

CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/news
Last Updated Sat, 10 Jun 2006 09:07:44 EDT

[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.]

Ontario Provincial Police are investigating a new outbreak of violence at the native protest site in Caledonia and claims that its officers did not intervene to stop an attack on two news camera operators.

Debbie Walker, a managing producer at CH Television in nearby Hamilton, said one of the employees was taken to hospital Friday with cuts and bruises to his head, but couldn't say who was responsible. A second camera operator also suffered minor injuries after he was kicked and punched.

Ken MacKay and Nick Garbutt said they were attacked by Six Nations protesters while filming a confrontation between natives and an elderly couple in front of a Canadian Tire store.

MacKay alleged that he asked for protection from OPP officers standing nearby but they did nothing to help.

Garbutt needed stitches to close a head wound. MacKay accompanied his colleague to hospital, but did not require treatment.

OPP Const. Keith Robb said police were investigating the allegations.

Insults thrown around

The conflict continued late into the night as natives and non-natives hurled insults at each other over a schoolyard fence. Townspeople also directed their anger at police, accusing them of being one-sided after two non-native residents were arrested.

The three-month standoff began Feb. 28 when a small group of Six Nations protesters from the Grand River Territory reserve moved on to a construction site in the town, southwest of Hamilton, claiming the land belonges

Since then, there has been an abortive OPP raid to clear the site in April, a subsequent blockade of a major artery into town; strained relations between native and non-native protesters that led to a standoff down the road, and finally a period of calm after the protesters took down their blockade and moved back on to the construction site.

Native protesters still occupy that land.