Caledonia reignites

Three arrested in skirmish after natives alleged to have attacked 2 journalists, 4 tourists

Rob Lamberti and Brian Gray
Toronto Sun
Sat, June 10, 2006

[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.]

CALEDONIA -- The tense native standoff boiled over again last night after OPP officers arrested two townspeople during an angry clash involving up to 400 people.

Residents and aboriginals hurled racial slurs at each other over a schoolyard fence early this morning. As some 50 OPP officers in riot gear-- four with rifles visible -- moved in, the townspeople barraged them with verbal assaults, accusing them of being one-sided.

A third man was taken into custody.

Earlier yesterday, two CH TV cameramen were assaulted, allegedly by natives occupying a disputed piece of land.

About 90 minutes later, a witness said a group of natives dragged four American tourists from their SUV after they snapped a few photos of the native-occupied land despite remaining on public property.

"Two of them were off-duty New York State troopers," said a resident who lives near the attack site. "Two of them were dragged from their truck and (the natives) drove off and (went) back into their own area."

Witnesses said they drove around in the tourists' vehicle for about an hour before returning it.

The CH TV camera operators, one of whom needed stitches to close a head wound, said Ontario Provincial Police did nothing despite their pleas for help.

"The police were right behind me and I asked for protection," cameraman Ken MacKay said. "I said, 'I'm being assaulted, I need protection, they're trying to steal my camera' and nothing happened.

"(The attackers) wrestled the camera away from me and took it and left me, and they got the tape out."

The camera operators were filming ongoing coverage of the aboriginal occupation, which started in February when Six Nations members took over a housing construction site.

They say they were videotaping an altercation involving an older couple when the aboriginal protesters came running past police to attack them.

One OPP officer said the situation has gone beyond the control of police officers and has become an issue for the Canadian military.

Residents who were gathering on neighbourhood streets wondered when their elected representatives were going to do something to end the long running dispute.

Lawn signs reading, "Have you seen Diane Finley's leadership?" made reference to the lack of action by the federal government.

Other residents wondered what happened to the provincially appointed mediator, David Peterson, who they haven't seen since a near riot broke out last month.

"Somebody is going to have to die before someone actually does something about this," one resident said echoing the thoughts of nearly everyone living near the border of the disputed land.

A woman who is nine months pregnant said she's afraid that when she is due, the one road leading to her hospital in Hamilton will be blocked by protesters.

"I don't sleep at night wondering what is going to happen," Paula Grice said.

Premier Dalton McGuinty issued a statement yesterday in which he declared his disappointment at the violence.

NDP Leader Howard Hampton said the government should have acted sooner to head off such incidents.