Posted on 06/29/2007 4:12:49 AM PDT by fanfan
DESERONTO — A small group of angry Mohawk protesters made good on their threats to disrupt transportation in Canada’s busiest travel corridor on a national day of action to raise public awareness of native concerns such as poverty, health and land claims.
The protest by a group of about 40 Mohawks near Highway 2, west of Kingston, led to the closure of two major highways, as well as the main CN Rail line early Friday, the first day of one of the season’s busiest travel weekends.
Just before midnight Thursday night, Ontario Provincial Police closed a 12-km stretch of the busy Highway 401 between Shannonville and Marysville.
Sgt. Kristine Rae, a spokeswoman for the OPP in Ottawa, said the closure was made out of safety concerns.
Native demonstrators also blocked roads in and out of a reserve in Alderville, Northumberland County, halfway between Toronto and Kingston.
Const. George Silvestri said that both the north and south ends of Alderville, on County Road 45 just north of Cobourg, were blocked by the demonstrators Friday morning.
A county road near the popular Ontario Muskoka town of Bala was also blocked by demonstrators.
Earlier, the Mohawk protesters near Deseronto who threatened that they had arms and were ready to use them, parked an old school bus across secondary Highway 2, forcing a steady stream of traffic and heavy trucks to turn around.
“We’ve made no secret that we have guns within this camp,” protest leader Shawn Brant told The Canadian Press in an interview. “It’s our intent to go out and ensure a safe day. Unfortunately, previous incidents have shown that aggressive tactics by the police need to be met with equal resistance by the people that they’re bringing those against."
Later, the protesters closed the nearby CN Rail main line, using jumper cables to activate crossing barriers before moving another old school bus onto the tracks.
In anticipation of the blockade, Via Rail suspended Friday’s passenger train service on the heavily travelled Montreal-Toronto and Ottawa-Toronto corridors, affecting an estimated 5,000 passengers.
The OPP said motorists travelling on Highway 401 westbound to Toronto were being directed to exit at Highway 41 north to Highway 7, west to Highway 37 and then travel south.
Those travelling eastbound to Montreal or Ottawa were being directed to exit at Highway 37 north to Highway 7 and south on Highway 41.
Brant said earlier the barricades would remain until midnight Friday night.
The protest prompted the OPP to issue an arrest warrant for Brant on a charge of mischief, but police made no move to remove the blockades or arrest him.
Brant, a 43-year-old militant Mohawk, is out on bail on previous charges of mischief, disobeying a court order and breach of recognizance in connection with the 30-hour blockade of the nearby CN rail line April 20.
OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino said police were monitoring the situation closely and warned that criminal activity would not be tolerated.
The rail barricade prompted CN to cancel all traffic on the busy line, affecting almost 50 passenger or freight trains — a repeat of the situation in April when CN obtained an injunction to end that blockade. However, police did not enforce the court order.
“First Nations protesters are again blocking CN’s rail corridor and the OPP continues to refuse to intervene,” said a statement issued by the railway early Friday.
As the sun broke over the area, the Mohawks sat around bonfires on both sides the eerily quiet Highway 401. At one point just before dawn, a transport truck appeared on the highway and veered toward the protesters before speeding up the road. It was not clear how the truck got onto the highway.
In the Maritimes, members of the Mi’kmaq Nation threatened a blockade of the Nova Scotia-New Brunswick boundary on Highway 104.
The threats of blockades were in stark contrast to calls from aboriginal chiefs who called for peaceful protests and a day of reflection.
Canada’s premiers and territorial leaders also issued a rare joint statement Thursday, acknowledging that aboriginals are understandably disappointed and frustrated with the past, but urged protesters to keep Friday’s campaign “peaceful and law-abiding.”
“The natives are restless......”
...and revolting, too.
Newfoundland has no problem with its Indians.
The indians are committing criminal activity and the OPP Commissioner has his tail between his legs.
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