A Hamilton anarchist who was arrested following an anti-police speech at an LGBTQ2 community discussion last month has been released from jail.
Cedar Hopperton, who uses “they/them” pronouns, was taken into custody on June 22 for allegedly violating parole after being convicted in last year’s vandalism on Locke Street.
The Ontario Parole Board ruled that Hopperton’s speech at a June 18 meeting at city hall, which criticized police for their response to violence at Hamilton’s Pride event a few days earlier, contained remarks that were “inflammatory in nature” and created an “undue risk of a breach of the peace”.
In a Facebook post, the local anarchist group known as “The Tower” posted a photo of Hopperton holding a “#FreeCedar” sign with a caption that said they had been released.
Asaf Rashid, Hopperton’s lawyer, told Global News that he learned of their release from a close friend of Hopperton.
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“I can say with pretty good assurance that Cedar is definitely out,” said Rashid. “But I don’t have any specifics. I don’t even know exactly why, I have no reasons for their early release before the end of the month.”
He said Hopperton was due to be released on July 28 but added that the parole board can release people early at its own discretion.
A group called “Camp Chaos Gays” set up an encampment in front of Hamilton city hall this past weekend, calling for the release of Hopperton and other “Pride defenders”, referring to several Pride supporters who were arrested in connection with the disturbance at Hamilton Pride at Gage Park on June 15.
Another person arrested in connection with the Pride violence is Christopher Vanderweide, 27, of Kitchener, who is charged with two counts of assault with a weapon and was allegedly among the group of far-right protesters at Hamilton Pride.
A person resembling Vanderweide has appeared in videos on social media, wielding a helmet and smashing people in the face with it.
WATCH: (June 26) Police arrest suspect involved in Hamilton Pride altercation
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