Statement on arrest of Shawn Brant, Mohawk warrior

Shawn Brant is a Mohawk warrior from Tyendinaga in Ontario currently being
held in remand on charges stemming from the defense of Mohawk territory.
Shawn is a longtime activist and was present at both the Ipperwash and Oka
blockades.

Statement follows:

Shawn Brant's Arrest – Statement by Sue Collis, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory

(May 4th, 2008) Eight days ago, on Friday, April 25th, 2008, my husband,
Shawn Brant, was arrested and detained on assault and weapons charges.
Since that time, Commissioner Julian Fantino and the Ontario Provincial
Police have issued public statements that have, it seems, misstated the
events leading to my husband's arrest.

I believe it is important to the public good for people to understand the
circumstances that have lead to Shawn's incarceration at this time. Those
circumstances are as follows:

On Sunday, April 20th, 2008, the community of Tyendinaga responded to
threats from a Kingston developer to bring "a crew of 25 to 30 guys", in
order to begin development on a property which falls within in the
Culbertson Tract land claim.  Mohawks from Tyendinaga did peaceful road
closures on Highway 2, adjacent to this proposed development site on
Mohawk land.

My husband Shawn has been living and complied with very strict conditions
imposed when he was charged in relation to community rail and highway
blockades on the June 2007 Aboriginal Day of Action. One of his conditions
is not to attend protests. During the evening of Monday, April 21st, 2008,
my husband was some distance away from the road closures erected in
response to the Kingston developer, talking to a Tyendinaga community
member, while he also checked a nearby creek for fish.

During this conversation, Shawn became aware of some commotion down the
road, and made his way towards the commotion, parking his car some 50 feet
away from where a small group of people was gathered on one side of the
road.  The first thing Shawn saw a 10-year-old girl shaking and crying
uncontrollably.  He had no idea what was going on. As he approached the
scene, someone yelled "Shawn help us!" The little girl screamed, "They
hurt my Mommy! They're gonna hurt my Mommy." Someone else yelled, "He has
a ball bat!"  At this time, Shawn noticed two trucks were parked facing
the people who were in obvious distress.  Shawn returned to his car and
retrieved his fishing spear.  By the time Shawn returned to where the
people were gathered, the occupants of the trucks were back inside their
vehicles.  Shawn shouted at the occupants of the trucks to leave.  The
windows were so tinted that he could not make out their faces.  The
drivers of the trucks sped away with such force that one of their truck
tires was raised in the air, spraying much gravel and stone at the women
and the child, some of which they later discovered was imbedded in their
skin.

Shawn turned his head to avoid catching stones in the face, and held out
his spear in an effort to create some distance between the group of
Mohawks and the trucks, out of concern that those in the vehicles would
strike those on the road with their vehicles.  The trucks then sped away.
That is the extent of Shawn's interaction with the individuals he is now
charged with assaulting. To be clear, he is charged with assaulting the
men in the trucks.

A 911 call was made during this incident on April 21st, 2008, in which the
trucks' licence plates were recorded.  Shortly thereafter, the women made
statements to the police, identifying the men driving the trucks as known
Deseronto inhabitants, subsequently identified as Jamie Lalonde and Mike
Lalonde. The women also testified in police statements that one of the men
swung a club at them, drove one of the trucks into them, and threatened
further violence. The women also described being injured by flying stones,
and described the trauma endured by the young girl. No one but Shawn has
been charged.

The men from Deseronto sought out this group of people, deliberately
caused them injury and issued threats of further violence.  They were
targeted for assault and abuse for no other reason than that they are
Native.  The actions taken by the men from Deseronto were driven by
bigotry and racial hatred.  By definition, these were hate crimes. Again,
no one but Shawn has been charged.

The men are presumed to have filed a complaint against my husband,
resulting in a police search of his car on Friday, April 25th, when his
fishing spear was taken from his car, and charges of assault and
possession of a weapon – the spear – were laid.  My husband remains in
prison, in maximum security, as a result.

It is our understanding that the prosecution is seeking yet another
publication ban on all future court proceedings in this matter.  A pattern
has emerged with respect to my husband, Shawn Brant. The police and
prosecution make sensational and vilifying statements about Shawn in the
media, and then seek a publication ban during court proceedings, when the
actual evidence is introduced. The starkly different narrative of events
that emerges in court is withheld and the public forbidden from hearing
it. The version of events I have just presented will all but disappear.

Less than a month ago, my husband was acquitted of charges he carried for
more than 18 months.  When issuing the ruling in this acquittal, the judge
described the investigative practice and evidence employed and presented
by the cops and the Crown as "problematic" and "troubling," as they
related to Shawn.  During this same period, CBC Radio aired a documentary
in which several Mohawk people recounted conversations with OPP
Commissioner Fantino that occurred during the 2007 Aboriginal Day of
Action, in which they say he threatened to "ruin" Shawn.  During Shawn's
detention at the Napanee OPP detachment last week, several different
police officers threatened to "slit his throat" and "cut off his head."

As I deal with the tears of young children who have been robbed of their
father once again, Commissioner Fantino claims the OPP is an apolitical
and professional organization, dedicated to upholding the rule of law.
The events of the past week indicate it is anything but.

- Sue Collis Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory