Caledonia...again

[jellotor]

We recieved a lot of calls on this...and I updated the hotshots list...but there was another incident in Caledonia overnight. This time, two OPP officers mistakenly took a cruiser down the 6th Line and were detained by a large group of native protestors. Cars sent in to back up the two officers were turned around south of 6th Line and the OPP resorted to 'negotiations' in order to get their people released. No injuries to the officers, however, and other than some fires being set, things have returned to whatever passes for normal these days.

We have a press release but I haven't seen one on crimealerts yet.

 

[motomeso]

Thanks for updating the Hotshot list Graeme, there was a lot of stuff going down around that time so I couldn't hear everything at once.

 

[jellotor]

Not a problem, Terry. I was chatting with a constable this morning and he said there were 40 or 50 protestors surrounding the cruiser on 6th Line. I can only imagine how that must have felt...I was chased off by two protestors this morning and that's stressful enough.

 

[rhutch]

Well I guess the town folk shouldn't fell bad now, the OPP just demonstarted that they can't protect their own just like they can't protect the towns people. How long will the government stand around and let the lawlessness continue?

 

[jellotor]

If I was a resident, I'd feel worse. There's very little indication that the government is interested in stopping the 'lawlessness' and these are the types of things that, historically, have caused the residents to come out in droves...and those confrontations have escalated in the past.

Let us hope the native protestors do the right thing and stay nonviolent. Violence, at this point, will only make things much worse.

 

[rhutch]

If I was a resident, I'd feel worse. There's very little indication that the government is interested in stopping the 'lawlessness' and these are the types of things that, historically, have caused the residents to come out in droves...and those confrontations have escalated in the past.

Let us hope the native protestors do the right thing and stay nonviolent. Violence, at this point, will only make things much worse.

Well I don't know if I would say the natives are "non-violent" the media doesn't seem inclined to report the whole story as it pertains to what the natives have been up to (I guess it's not politically correct). I know people who live in the area and there stories seem much different than what you see on the news. Such as break-ins on houses located on the river, when confronted the natives say this is our land and there's nothing you can f@#$%^& do about it. The OPP is really tough when it comes to locals, a gentlemen leaned on the police tape which got the attention of an OPP officer who proceeded to talk real tough while the natives were digging up the street with a backhoe.

The thing that will surely escalate the situation is the Governments continued lack of response.

As a tax payer I'm a little ticked that I'm paying for months of OT for the OPP to stand there and watch this crap too. Personally I think this thing should be paid for with monies that were ear marked for the native communities.

As for the violence making things worst, it stopped the Ipperwash incident (right or wrong). The police can't just wait for them to get tired of doing this and the government shouldn't be negotiating with people who pull these tactics. The governements have created this mess by giving in and negotiating with these groups every time they pull this crap. What would happen if a bunch of non native went up to Casino Rama and blockaded there. I really don't think the police or the government would show the same tolerance lawlessness as they do when natives perpetrate these actions.

I beleive the OPP had the situation in control when they did the early morning raid in Caledonia, but old Dalton and his political hacks made them back off, which just made the situation totally out of hand and basically emasculated the authority of the OPP.

 

[hemi]

If i was resident i would be extreamly p o at the goverment for their lack of effort. Has a dooar amount been attached to this mess yet?

 

[jellotor]

I beleive the OPP had the situation in control when they did the early morning raid in Caledonia, but old Dalton and his political hacks made them back off, which just made the situation totally out of hand and basically emasculated the authority of the OPP.

With respect, that early morning raid was a knee-jerk CYA reaction to a threat of a lawsuit by Henco. The 'raid' and the withdrawal were the excuses the protesters needed to blockade Argyle St. and they took full advantage.

Part of the problem as well is that the media can't (or shouldn't) report on uncorroborated incidents. If protesters are threatening residents and the police won't confirm it, the most you'll get on TV, the radio or in the newspaper is a line like "There are reports of intimidation tactics being used against Caledonia residents." And the media has reported this.

Dalton or not (and he gets his share of blame, believe me) the OPP brass have abdicated their responsibility in this area and, for once, a judge seems to believe this as well.