Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in Caledonia, Ont., have arrested ‘several’ demonstrators who were occupying a residential development site on Wednesday.
Police say they assisted a sheriff with a court injunction, issued on Friday, to remove a group from the McKenzie Meadows site.
As a result of the arrests, demonstrators used tires and other objects to ignite a number of fires to block Argyle Street between Highway 6 and Braemar Avenue.
The group of demonstrators from Six Nations had been occupying the construction site for two weeks, dubbing it “1492 Land Back Lane” and saying the residential development project is one of several in the area that violates Haudenosaunee sovereignty.
The collective is asking the development to stop, claiming it infringes on Haudenosaunee territory.
In a release issued in late July, the Six Nations of the Grand River elected council said it had been “accommodated” for the two residential developments along Mckenzie Road in Caledonia.
“The Accommodations were done by Ballantry Homes, a residential development company from the Toronto area,” the release read, saying the accommodations involved two actions – the transfer of 42.3 acres of land to Six Nations in 2016, as well as $352,000 paid to the Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council and put in a “Land Banking Account” to be used for future land purchases for the reserve.
In an email to Global News, OPP Constable Rodney LeClair said nine people were arrested at the construction site for disobeying the court order.
“The OPP took a measured, professional and safe approach while assisting with enforcement of the court injunction,” wrote LeClair. “As a result of demonstrators that then went onto Argyle Street North in Caledonia, OPP have closed Argyle Street North between Highway 6 and Braemar Avenue for public safety and to assist in maintaining traffic flow in the area. The Highway 6 by-pass between Argyle Street North and Greens Road is also closed.”
LeClair added that more updates will be provided as they become available.