BYKARENBEST
Dec 26, 2006
Hadimand Review
Her couch was sliced and her son’s guitar and computer were smashed in a disturbing act of violence in her home.
Dana Chatwell and Dave Brown discovered the damage in their Caledonia house about 1 a.m. on Dec. 17. When they arrived home that morning, they saw two people running out of the house but could not see where they went.
Their home is located on Argyle Street South and backs directly onto the east side of Douglas Creek Estates (DCE), which has been occupied by Six Nations protesters since Feb. 28.
On Sunday morning, they found their home “trashed” and their phone dead. Chatwell drove to a nearby OPP checkpoint just down the street to ask for police to respond to their home.
Since March 1, OPP officers have been stationed near the site, which Six Nations members say was never surrendered or sold. While they continue to occupy the 200 acre subdivision construction site, the Ontario and Canadian governments contend that the land was legally surrendered in the 1840s. The land issue is under review by a negotiating group including all three parties. In 1784, Britain granted to Six Nations six miles on either side of the Grand River from its source to its mouth to replace territory lost after the American War of Independence.
On Sunday morning, Chatwell and Brown were only in their home for an hour and had a brief glimpse of the condition of their belongings. “I was just a basket case. All I did was cry,” she said.
Mirrors were smashed, the china cabinet was knocked over, a couch was sliced and everything in their fifteen-year-old son’s bedroom was upside down.His computer and guitar were destroyed.
Vandals used black spray paint to write profanity and other messages on walls and shower doors. Some of the graffiti read: White Trash, Pigs, and Racist go home.
That night Chatwell did not sleep. Her first meal was soup at noon on Monday. During an interview, she was frank about her reaction. “I think I’m numb right now,” she said. “I just can’t wait to get out of here.”
Chatwell and Brown are staying with friends and relatives.
Shortly after she reported the intrusion, Haldimand County OPP officers attended the home to begin an investigation. The OPP detachment responsible for policing related to the land dispute assigned officers to a checkpoint on the property’s driveway. Later in the evening two cruisers were stationed there. One was facing DCE.
On Sunday morning, the OPP Western Region forensic unit along with the county scenes of crime officer collected further evidence. Just after noon, OPP completed their work in the home.
News of the break in spread quickly through town. Chatwell’s uncle, Brian Hagan was incensed. He began a series of phone calls starting with Haldimand County Mayor Marie Trainer. He worked his way up to Jane Stewart and John Nolan. Stewart is Ontario’s representative at the main table set up to negotiate issues and land claims related to DCE and the Six Nations land grant. Nolan is a senior negotiator with the province.
At 2 p.m. on Sunday, about 40 Caledonia residents gathered on Chatwell’s property to show support and to denounce the ransacking of her home. Directly behind the house, Six Nations members parked numerous vehicles and watched.
OPP gathered on the car repair shop next door to the home. “We made sure we had a police presence for public safety and to make sure traffic was flowing,” said Haldimand County OPP Constable Paula Wright.
Chatwell said she drove by thinking that this could go crazy. A little while later Brown called some of his friends involved in the protest. “I love them and appreciated their support,” said Brown. At the same time, he was very worried that someone would get hurt and he asked people to leave. They did.
Wright said nothing occurred that required police intervention. OPP investigation into the break and enter is ongoing. Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to call the Haldimand County detachment at 905-772-3322 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
On Monday, Chatwell and Brown met with their insurance agent to assess damages. Their contents are insured but the value of their loss was not yet determined. They have received an overwhelming outpouring of support and offers of assistance. “People are willing to help with whatever we need,” said Brown.
The checkpoint at the house is continuing presently, said Wright. She could not comment on the future assignment of officers on the property because that was an operational matter.
By Dec. 20, only one cruiser was seen parked on the corner of the property.
“We are aware that any kind of event or situation is extremely sensitive,” said Wright. “We will continue to keep a police presence knowing that we have a fragile peace in Caledonia.”
“Whether real or perceived, people don’t feel safe in Caledonia at Christmas time,” Coun. Craig Grice said to his fellow council members at a Dec. 18 meeting.
The night before, 60 of his neighbours gathered on the end of Braemar Avenue to speak to police about safety concerns. In response, OPP stepped up security in the no go zone and increased patrols in the neighbourhood, said Grice. The no-go zone is a 100 foot buffer zone around the perimeter of DCE along Thistlemoor Drive.
Grice spoke about the lack of trust for OPP. “There’s not a lot of hope in finding out who did the action (break and enter),” he said.
Coun. Buck Sloat said council should ask the Ontario government to install home security systems that ring directly into the police station in all the homes on Thistlemoor Drive and Braemar Avenue. Mayor Marie Trainer said she would ask at the Caledonia liaison committee meeting.