NAPANEE, Ont. — Shawn Brant has turned himself in to the Ontario Provincial Police a week after he led Tyendinaga Mohawk demonstrators to blockade railways and roads in eastern Ontario for the National Day of Action.
The lanky 43-year-old arrived at the Napanee OPP station at 10 a.m. on Thursday, as he had promised to do on the weekend. He told waiting media that he was a man of honour, from a people of honour.
Half an hour earlier, a line of cars ferrying Mr. Brant, his lawyer, his wife and supporters, left the quarry that Mohawk protesters have been occupying since March.
Mr. Brant said he was not optimistic about being released on bail and expects to be in prison for at least a month.
His surrender to police will help the land-claim negotiations proceed, he told reporters.
While Mr. Brant said he understands that not everyone in the community supports his group's actions, he said most people are behind the cause that is the land claim.
His group is the one that got the country talking about it, he added.
Last Friday, Mr. Brant led some Tyendinaga Mohawks in attempts to blockade portions of Highway 401. They succeeded in blocking a secondary road, Highway 2, and also parked a school bus across rail lines.
For this, he faces a charge of mischief and a breach of previous bail conditions. He had worked out an agreement to turn himself in to a Napanee police station on Thursday.
Mr. Brant said he did not know if the protesters were planning any further blockades.