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.
