The brief escalation of what had been a peaceful protest led officials in
The disagreement in
"I wouldn't have thought [the comparison to
Ontario Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Michael Bryant Monday spoke with Mr. Hancock, and the provincial minister's office said action is needed from his federal counterpart.
"We're continuing to monitor the situation. The underlying issue here is a 200-year-old land claim against the federal government, so the federal government needs to accelerate the negotiations leading to a resolution of this issue," said Greg Crone, Mr. Bryant's press secretary.
The Six Nations claim ownership of the area as part of a historical treaty that they allege was not properly honoured. The local government received a temporary injunction in May that prohibits interference with development on the site -- owned by Ireland-based Kingspan -- and several other nearby properties.
Ron Doering, the chief federal negotiator on land claims issues, said he is discouraged that protesters have begun occupying the
"The Six Nations are the people we are dealing with with the various direct actions at
"We continue to believe that the best way to resolve these long-standing claims is to do it at the table. Clearly, the direct actions are not helpful in that regard, in my experience."
The
All legal recourse seemed distant, however, Monday morning.
According to police, officers were escorting two trucks to the site to remove some cement at around
Police headquarters was notified about the events at
"While attempting to stop the advancement of the protesters, one officer was struck in the face by a male at a time when his attention was focused on another protester advancing in the opposite direction," said a police statement issued Monday afternoon.
"The assailant disappeared amongst the remaining protesters and fled the area through the adjacent bush."
Six Nations observers say that the arrested man, whose identity has not been revealed, did not provoke the officer, but was confronted when he tried to talk to one of the drivers. As he was being pulled away, native witnesses said, his hand slipped, hitting the officer.
Donal Curtin, Kingspan's general manager, said police told him to lock the gates outside the site and remain inside.
He said in a response to e-mailed questions Monday that workers trying to enter the area received death threats.
"On multiple occasions today, contractors working on the site or delivering material to the site, had their lives threatened," he wrote. "These events have been reported to the Brantford Police. The people who made the threats were not arrested as far as I know."
Police spokesmanKent Pottruff said he did not have specific details of those allegations, but that potential criminal activity would be investigated.
By Monday afternoon, several pick-up trucks were parked around the mouth of the site. Six Nations flags flapped in the wind, while about six police cars lingered on the margins.
"This is war," said Steve Powless, a spokesman for the Six Nations protesters, standing outside the fence of the Kingspan site, outside of which there were two canvas tents and a teepee where about a dozen natives had been sleeping over the weekend. "I'm a solider. I'm here to fight."
"These people should go home and leave our land alone," added Mr. Powless, a sculptor who lives on the nearby reserve, by some estimates the most populous in the country.
He said that the group would remain at the site indefinitely.
Another native, who refused to give his name, insisted that his people were protecting their own land, not protesting the use of it. "This is not going to stop until the federal government steps and solves these land issues," he said. "They're patenting deeds here they haven't paid for."