Nine more Tyendinaga protesters charged
-By Jeremy Ashley, Belleville Intelligencer
Provincial police Thursday arrested and charged nine native protesters in connection to a series of road blockades and violent confrontations here last month.
To date, 16 protesters face a total of 61 criminal charges in connection to “events that occurred in and around Deseronto,” between April 21 and 26, according to police.
On April 21, a group of native protesters set up blockades at various points Deseronto, but removed themselves from the village the following day after the arrival of the OPP’s Public Order Unit. The demonstrators moved back to a quarry on Deseronto Road, which they have occupied since last March.
On April 25, after the arrest of well-known protester Shawn Brant, a confrontation between provincial police and demonstrators erupted into violence along the road, which ended with two police officers sustaining injuries and four protesters charged criminally.
During the past week, investigators have made additional arrests as part of an ongoing probe into the series of events.
Arrested Thursday were:
Karen Maracle, 52; charged with two counts of mischief for obstructing the public from using a roadway and failing to comply with probation conditions.
Kathy Baptiste, 47; charged with two counts of mischief for obstructing the public from using a roadway.
Matthew Davis, 20, charged with wearing a disguise with intentions of committing a crime, breach of probation and two counts each of mischief for obstructing the public from using a roadway and mischief under $5,000.
Joshua Maracle, 21; charged with two counts of mischief for obstructing the public from using a roadway.
Jason Maracle, 30; charged with two counts of mischief for obstructing the public from using a roadway.
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Kenneth Ferrill, 34, charged with wearing a disguise with intentions of committing a crime and mischief for obstructing the public from using a roadway.
Jerome Barnhart, 45; three counts of mischief for obstructing the public from using a roadway.
Curtis Fox, 20; charged with two counts of wearing a disguise with intentions of committing a crime and two counts of mischief for obstructing the public from using a roadway.
Except for Fox, all of the protesters were released from custody on court-imposed conditions and are scheduled to appear in court May 27.
Fox, meanwhile, was held for a bail hearing.
Filed under: Indigenous Rights, activism, national
