Statement on “Project Marvel” Raids in Hamilton

NO MORE POLICE TERROR IN OUR CITY!

Hamilton CopWatch statement on recent ‘Project Marvel’ raids

On Tuesday December 13th Toronto police launched a coordinated series of pre-dawn raids across Canada involving over 900 cops from several jurisdictions executing 67 warrants targeting Toronto based ‘street gangs’ and their extended networks. Locally a total of 5 homes were attacked by Hamilton and Toronto Police, including the residence of a 68-year-old Sharon McCrudden (Toronto Police later admitted they had the wrong address) and another of Pamela Markland and her 6 children. Despite the use of dangerous paramilitary tactics, Hamilton Police have come up with no arrests or charges as a result of the raids.

Occupy Hamilton Marches on the Banks 12/11/11

For a clip of this action check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yFlipMnyJY

The local Occupy movement in Hamilton began to bear some teeth this past Saturday with a loud and energetic street protest billed as “March on the Banks”. This was the first departure from the weekly rallies that have been gathering in Gore Park every Saturday, in lieu of an ongoing encampment in the city. The Occupy Hamilton group has thus far served as the organizing body for these rallies, but also an organic movement building process that shares aspirations with the global “Occupy” movement.

Hamilton CopWatch have been patrolling downtown in recent weeks. They report on their efforts and a minor run in with the cops at Occupy Hamilton on their website,

Read about it here

By DevinK

The Hamilton Police encountered some uninvited guests at their annual Police Man’s Ball, held September 22 at LIUNA Hall. The Ball, or Chief’s Gala as it was called this year, was a high class, $125-per-plate affair hosted by Chief Glenn De Caire. The party crashers, on the other hand, were roughly 50 loud and angry Hamiltonians responding to a call out issued by 905 Against Police Brutality to form a “People’s Gala” to celebrate resistance to police abuse in our communities.

By Devin K.

Hamilton Police Services and the Police Service board are currently attempting to force the city to approve a near 5% ($6.2 million) budget increase. The current process began after city council initially refused the proposed police budget and requested that it be scaled back and re-worked, with budget increases limited to inflation - a call made to all city boards and agencies, but ignored by the cops.

Year after year the police’s cut has consistently gotten fatter, despite a falling crime rate and with little deliberation at city hall. The primary motive behind this year’s increase is simply the cops giving themselves a raise – salary and benefit increases make up 4.41% of the 5%. This is particularly heinous within the context of a province wide wage freeze for public sector workers and the cost cutting other city agencies like hospitals have been forced to undertake.

By Devon Ridge

[Hamilton, November 16th]- The momentum of concerned citizens confronting Christie Blatchford's speaking tour continued last night in Hamilton. Blatchford spoke to a relatively small and tightly-knit crowd consisting of several Caledonia Councilors, and a local MP.

About a dozen Hamiltonians from diverse communities gathered at the event to hand out resources and ask critical questions. They helped open doors for those attending the event and smilingly welcomed discussion. The group carried a Two-Row Wampum flag and signs stating 'Blatchford's Bad News' and 'Hamilton Does Not Welcome Racism'.

The group's focus was to question the strong media support Blatchford's book is receiving, while calling into question its undeniable ties to racist, anti-native organizing.

October 13th 2010

By Devin K.

HAMILTON - Around 100 members and supporters of United Steel Workers Local 1005 gathered at City Hall on Wednesday in the wake of the recent shutdown of the last blast furnace at US Steel (former Stelco) Hamilton works. The move has many workers fearing that the company is preparing for a lockout.

The rally was organized to coincide with East End Councillor Sam Merulla putting forward a motion to City Council that the City of Hamilton demand the restart of the blast furnace. The motion read, in part: “[…] the City of Hamilton call on US Steel to restart the Blast Furnace immediately; and stop Corporate ‘bullying tactics’ […] the City of Hamilton asks US Steel to restart negotiations with Local 1005” While the City of Hamilton itself has no actual power to force the restart of the furnace, the union hopes public pressure will at least contribute to getting US Steel back at the bargaining table.

Protesters denounce patriarchy in Hamilton courtroom - August 26, 2010

Hamilton, Ont. - On Thursday August 26, The Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area (SACHA) organized a protest outside the Hamilton Court House after a rape trial was stopped and the accused was set free. A lively crowd of around 40 people, including local unions CUPE 3906 and USW 1005, members of the Immigrant Women’s Centre and of the Hamilton Coalition Against the G20, denounced the actions of Justice Kim Carpenter-Gunn and defense attorney, Peter Boushy and demanded that the legal system stop blaming survivors of sexual assault.

According to the Hamilton Spectator article that broke the story, the trial was stayed after the defense attorney questioned the credibility of the alleged victim because she had made new allegations against another man. According to Boushy, this “raised the spectre of fabrication.”

By Frank Liberto

Recently, gentrification has emerged as an issue in Hamilton, where political attacks have been waged on sex workers in the form of reactionary public meetings. Some civic boosters and members of the burgeoning downtown art colony and have engaged in a hostile rhetoric toward the poor and homeless.

In response, many social justice activists have begun to mobilize anti-gentrification struggles. Reaction to an art exhibit that exploited outdoor sex workers has evolved into an anti-gentrification group called HAND – Hamiltonians Against Neighbourhood Displacement.

Steelworkers rally in downtown Hamilton against lay-offs and pension cuts marching under the slogan "Oppose Economic Terrorism." Dec. 14, 2009

The rally covered all four corners of Main and James streets. Workers from U.S. Steel (formerly Stelco) handed out flyers as they have done every Monday afternoon for the past year. The flyer attacked "the monopolies and the rich" for the economic crisis and called for "public ownership and control over the basic sectors of the economy."