HESN Statement on events of Nov. 26th, 2021.

CW: Police violence against Black youth

Just two days after the Hamilton Police Services (HPS) violently arrested two community members supporting encampment residents at J.C. Beemer park, another community member, Sarah Jama, was arrested on Nov. 26th at approximately 12:00pm. Jama was present at an encampment eviction being undertaken by Hamilton Municipal Law Enforcement (MLE) at Beasley Park when HPS officers placed her under arrest for offering encampment support.

Community members quickly rallied around Sarah’s arrest, seeing as it was the 3rd one in 2 days related to encampment defense, following the string of ongoing encampment evictions occurring in the City of Hamilton. Community members rallied in front of Hamilton Police Services central station as Sarah was released. As a symbol of solidarity with encampment residents and in an attempt to call attention to the violence that encampment residents in Hamilton face regularly, the demonstrators set up speakers and an empty tent outside the station.

Immediately, over 30 police officers came out of the station and claimed that the demonstrators were trespassing on police property. The police formed a line and pushed the demonstrators onto the sidewalk. They demanded that the supplies, and specifically the empty tent, be removed from the police property within 15 minutes. As community members began to clean up and relocate their supplies, a police officer violently lunged at a Black youth that was helping to clean up. He was tackled, pinned to the ground with his face in the cement and arrested. As community members approached to try and help the youth who was assaulted by the police, officers made violent grabs at other Black youth who were helping to clean up. Two more Black youth were arrested, one of whom was also violently assaulted, had their hoodie ripped off and was pinned by a knee to their neck by an officer. It is important to note that there were two white demonstrators who were grabbed by police officers and quickly released. Neither were arrested. The arrests made on Nov. 26th of 4 Black youth were intentional and targeted arrests.

These arrests and the recent string of encampment evictions occurring in the last two weeks are taking place exactly one year after housing advocates, unhoused community members and supporters occupied the forecourt of Hamilton City Hall for two weeks. This occupation, known to many as Freedom Camp, was a direct response to the First Ontario Centre and Ferguson teardowns that occurred in October 2020. Following these teardowns, it was clear that the City was not providing real solutions to the housing crisis that they have manufactured. The foundations for the Hamilton Encampment Support Network, a group which works primarily with encampment residents on the ground to offer support where needed, were laid during the two-week occupation. Violent encampment teardowns and the criminalization of the unhoused and their supporters in Hamilton have been going on for over a year.

This past week has seen numerous encampment teardowns or notices of teardowns at parks across the City of Hamilton - Bishop park, J.C. Beemer, Redhill, Beasley. There are very few encampments remaining. It is unclear where residents of encampments have gone or are planning on going in the coming winter months. We have since been in contact with residents from J C Beemer and Beasley since the events this week. Though they were given a bed in doors for a few days, they will be forced to leave, and plan to set up in a park again. We have delivered food and clothes to them during their short stay indoors, because these have not been supplied. Residents who are disabled also need very specific support that is not currently being provided. This destruction of encampment communities across the city will come at a high cost - there will be blood on the City’s hands. For many, shelters are not an option - service restrictions prevent many people from accessing shelter beds. Shelter beds are not a substitute for permanent housing and the fixation on temporary shelter space has been reflective of the City’s systematic failure to house people in free, permanent accessible housing.

In total this week, the Hamilton police assaulted, arrested and charged 6 people, 5 of which are Black youth. Two people have been charged with obstruction of justice, one with assaulting a police officer and 3 with both assaulting a police officer and obstruction of justice. Five of the six arrested were released on the conditions that they will not return to any public parks or encampments. These conditions are deeply troubling and an attempt to disrupt and quell the solidarity and support that the Hamilton Encampment Support Network has been offering to encampment residents across Hamilton. They exist to stop people from working alongside encampment residents.

The HPS are not the only ones culpable for the violence against Black activists and unhoused people. Hamilton City Council’s silence throughout this ordeal has proven once and for all that the City will stop at nothing to criminalize houseless community members and silence those who are working with them and advocating for free housing. HESN remains unequivocal in our demand to the City of Hamilton to stop all encampment evictions and put an end to the manufactured housing crisis by providing permanent, free and accessible housing to all, and to stop the criminalization of encampment supports.  All the charges laid against members of HESN will be fought. The criminalization of encampment supporters will not be tolerated.

All those arrested have sustained injuries including concussions, sprained wrists and ankles, sore and pulled necks and shoulders, fractures, bruising and scratches across the face, among other injuries. HESN has arranged for medical attention for everyone who needs it. In the meantime, we need your help. We will be fighting these charges. We will not let this state, the Hamilton police or the City of Hamilton scare us. We will keep supporting and defending our neighbours. If you see a teardown happening, please do your part and document, record, take pictures, and reach out to us online for support. We will show up every time, because we are committed to keeping each other safe.

Thank you to the people who showed up. To our comrades at 1492 Landback, supporters all the way from Toronto, and to all of the community in Hamilton who have shown up time and again. Our fight is far from over, but for now we are taking time to process, to rest, and to heal. We are not done supporting each other, taking care of each other and fighting for better, because we know that it can be better. Keep one another safe, and stay tuned for any upcoming actions and work to support.