Posted By Michael-Allan Marion
Brantford Expositor
A large OPP force took over a contested housing site in Caledonia on Wednesday and arrested nine native protesters who defied their elders by refusing to leave the Stirling Street development.
Residents watched and cheered from their homes as about 50 officers in riot gear, a tactical team and canine units marched into the Stirling Woods subdivision where home builder Sam Gualtieri was beaten unconscious last week.
Officers surrounded a group of protesters and gave them time to walk away from the site or face arrest, Const. Paula Wright told reporters near the site. Within minutes, nine men and women were taken away.
Police did not release the names of those arrested or the charges they face.
Sgt. Dave Rektor said police were still processing the protesters late Wednesday night and weren't prepared to release their names or ages to the media
Rektor didn't know the specific charges they would face, except that they would be criminal offences and possibly some non-criminal provincial offences, such as trespassing.
Two officers suffered minor injuries during the arrests, which could form the basis for some of the criminal charges, Rektor said.
None of the people arrested Wednesday was being charged in the connection with the beating of Gualtieri in a house on the site that he was building for his daughter, said Rektor
Elated
The beating victim's brother, Joe Gualtieri, was elated by the police action.
"Like all people here are saying, 'Thank you, thank you, thank you.' We can't say that enough. Why couldn't this have happened months ago at the Douglas Creek Estates (which was first occupied by natives more than a year ago)?"
Gualtieri said he believes the police action was prompted by bad publicity surrounding last week's violent attack against his brother, who suffered numerous injuries, including fractures to his nose and collar bone, and spent almost a week in hospital before he was released on Wednesday.
The Six Nations Confederacy and elected band council have both condemned the violence and offered prayers and sympathies to the Gualtieri family.
Joe Gualtieri said it was clear Wednesday that the police were about to take action against protesters still on the site, even after an agreement was reached on Monday with the Six Nations Confederacy to allow building to resume.
Through the morning, more and more police were becoming visible. Just before lunch, police told construction workers to leave the property. Shortly afterwards more undercover and uniformed offers showed up in a succession of vehicles.
"When we saw one (police) truck after another, we started cheering, and the neighbours started cheering," said Gualtieri. "Finally, they (the police) were going to take action."
He said he watched officers line up in riot gear bearing batons and shields. Neighbours were told to stay out of their backyards.
Gualtieri said he feels "empowered" by the police action.
"After a week of (native) flags, it was good to see some authority again."
Neighbours along Stirling Street said they were happy with the police action, but still feared possible reprisals from natives.
"Great," said one woman, who didn't want to give her name, "but what is going to happen tonight if a whole bunch of natives come out?"