This past Saturday, July 27th, was Chris “Helmet Guy” Vanderweide’s so-called “Rally Against Bullying” in Kitchener Ontario. It did not go as well as he’d hoped, and has been described in local media as a “fizzle.” This is because, despite the usual grandiose alt-right claims only about a dozen hate-group members attended the “rally.” Their numbers might possibly have been depressed because Helmet Guy had spent the previous week in an internet bitch-slap fight with the Nouns of Odin. In any case Vanderweide himself skipped his own rally for fear of breaking his bail conditions — which suggests to me that someone finally explained to him how bail conditions work.
Continue reading “Don’t Feed the Trolls”Month: July 2019
Core Concepts 5 – Self Care
I’m going to admit it: after six weeks of the dumpster fire that is Hamilton politics since Pride, I’m starting to get a little shagged out. The drama continues this week, with Hamilton achieving the dubious distinction of having the highest rate of reported hate crimes in Canada. The Mayor was unavailable for comment… which of course sparked a wave of derision on Twitter.
Following that, the CBC ran a story on one of three separate complaints to the OIPRD regarding the police response — or rather, lack of one — to the attack on Pride. They mayor’s office released yet another boilerplate statement “Hamilton for All“, presumably not understanding that “all” is increasingly seen to include Nazis and Fascists.
Continue reading “Core Concepts 5 – Self Care”Gatekeeping
The debate and discussion around Pride Hamilton continues, with an LGBTQ+ community debrief scheduled for Wednesday night to help people process the attack on Pride and its aftermath, as well as discuss goals for going forward; because of that the event is a private one for LGBTQ+ people in general (and their allies who were present at Pride) and is being billed as a safe space… insofar as any space is safe for our community these days. One of the things we keep hearing from LGBTQ+ people in the Hamilton is a sense of fear and isolation that has developed because of the attacks on Pride and the ongoing failure — I would go so far as to say refusal — of the police and city hall to address the continued flood of hate crimes in the city of Hamilton. This is what makes community events like debriefs so important as a tool of connection and healing; while attending a rally can be empowering, marching around and waving signs isn’t the complete package when it comes to dealing with trauma.
Continue reading “Gatekeeping”Pride 2019 Part 5 – Asymmetry
Earlier this week, I posted that Cedar Hopperton, the Hamilton-area activist who’d had their parole revoked as revenge for a blistering critique of the Hamilton Police Service’s shameful display of spite and incompetence at Hamilton Pride, was released from jail. While the details are still not public knowledge, a CBC story seemed to imply that their release was on a “credited time” technicality and not, as one would hope, because anyone in the judicial system has a commitment to actual justice.
I’m sorry, was that cynical?
I’m feeling cynical this morning, and it’s not just the hangover from one too many Dark and Stormies to beat the heat last night. (This blog’s name isn’t just being cute: I drink and I tend to write best in the early mornings while the house is still asleep; you do the math.) The reason I’m feeling cynical is that yesterday “Helmet Guy” Chris Vanderweide made bail on two charges of assault for his role in the attack on Hamilton Pride.
Continue reading “Pride 2019 Part 5 – Asymmetry”Cedar Freed
Just a quick unscheduled post to keep everyone updated – yesterday afternoon it was announced that Cedar Hopperton, the Hamilton anarchist and trans activist who was unjustly arrest and incarceration for the “parole violation” of exercising their free speech, was released from jail
There have been no further updates on the details and reasons about why this happy event came to be (the Tower, a Hamilton anarchist organizing space, has promised an update on its Facebook page, but as of this morning none has yet been posted.) The CBC article on this implies there was a “credited time” issue with Hopperton’s incarceration.
While is is obviously very welcome news for the LGBTQ+, trans, anarchist and anti-fascist communities in Hamilton (and also for Cedar themself), let there be no mistake: This isn’t over. At the very least the city and the police have a lot of questions to answer about why violent fascist hate groups are being allowed to use public space, why the HPS feels it can withdraw public protection on a whim, and the generally disastrous handling of the entire situation from day one.
Cedar Hopperton is free. However that came about, one less ongoing injustice can only be a good thing. But there’s a lot more work to be done, however much the mayor and the police might want this all to go away.
There are the Pride Defenders facing charges — those must be dropped. There must be an independent review of police conduct around Pride. There must be a review of the city’s conduct. Mayor Eisenberger must name and denounce the fascist hate groups who helped attack the Pride event. There must be transparency in LGBTQ+/city relations, not just closed-door meetings with handpicked “advisors.” And police must finally take action and arrest the violent homophobes and so-called “religious preachers” who attacked people in Hamilton and Toronto… and who are reportedly planning on doing it again at London Ontario’s Pride celebrations this week.
