A request by self-proclaimed white nationalist Paul Fromm to delegate at city hall and speak at future meetings with Hamilton politicians has been denied.
City Councillors voted without debate, 14-0, to deny the request on Wednesday.
A delegation request from Lisa Thompson, a representative of the Yellow Vest group which gathers for regular demonstrations outside of city hall, was also denied by the General Issues Committee (GIC).
Prior to Fromm’s request, a number of city councillors made it known which way they would be voting on the issue, including Ward 3 Councillor Nrinder Nann.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Nann said it would be “an unequivocal no.”
During the GIC meeting on Wednesday, Nann also noted that Thompson’s request talked about setting the record straight in regards to internal leadership battles, something Nann says is not “privy to our business.”
Fromm, who ran unsuccessfully for Hamilton Mayor in 2018, said he wanted to “address free speech concerns in light of council’s interest in curtailing demonstrations in public places in the city.”
Before the meeting, the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI) sent a letter to councillors urging them to reject the requests, saying doing so would be an important signal of its stance on the issues.
The HCCI went on to say that Fromm’s past statements, actions and affiliation with Marc Lemire – the former leader of white supremacist organization the Heritage Front – have shown “he does not respect the human rights of many residents in Hamilton.”
The city is putting policies in place to deter the Saturday morning yellow vest protests, which Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger says have had a “racist tone”.
The proposed hate prevention policy is expected to come back to councillors for further discussion next month.