Raise the Hammer

PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY

TO ENDORSE THIS DEMONSTRATION PLEASE CONTACT: 905againstpolicebrutality@gmail.com

DAY OF ACTION AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY APRIL 30TH 2011! ...JUSTICE 4 ANDREAS! 1PM @ CITY HALL

Within the last year there has been 3 shootings resulting in 2 deaths at the hands of police officers in the Hamilton/Halton region. There have been numerous instances of police abuse reported in headline news. It is likely that many more accounts of brutality at the hands of Hamilton police have never been heard. We all know someone who has been targeted or affected by the harassment, intimidation and violence that have become the common practice of an unaccountable police force. These cops enjoy impunity while the complaints and allegations against them are met with outright hostility or pushed through a bureaucratic process of little consequence to law enforcement. The steadily growing list of high profile disgraces of our own police department illustrates this.

Sergeant Kevin Dhinsa is accused of sexual and personal harassment by 12 female co?workers , only to return to policing in 2008. All charges were dropped after the chief of police dragged his feet through the courts which resulted in the case being thrown out due to a technicality.

Since its inception in May 2010 the Hamilton Police ACTION Team routinely intimidates and harasses people living, working and hanging out downtown. Their mandate of criminalizing the young, the poor, and the homeless is made clear in last year’s report which revealed that the vast majority of their work consisted of “street checks”, id checks and ticketing for minor offences.

The July 2010 G20 summit held in Toronto saw thousands of police assembled from across the country to execute the largest mass arrest in Canadian history. Nearly 100 Hamilton police officers were involved in the strategic crackdown on the right to political dissent and protest.

On May 4th 2010, 58 year old Myanmar refugee Po La Hay was severely beaten in his own home after police raided mistaken address. Hay, who speaks very little English, was punched and kicked after collapsing to the ground. Hamilton police did not call SIU following the incident. Following the investigation only one cop, Ryan Tocher, was charged. Tocher was also under investigation for “discreditable conduct and unlawful or unnecessary exercise of authority” at the time of the incident. He is still working for Hamilton Police Services.

On February 2nd, 2011, 19 year old Andreas Chinnery was shot and killed inside his apartment by 3 police responding to a noise complaint. Andreas was not armed and the officers were let into the apartment. To date the Hamilton Police have refused to release virtually any information regarding the shooting.

We as a community cannot let this behaviour continue unopposed in our city! The SIU has time and time again proven itself to be an impotent organization, incapable of keeping police brutality, assault, harassment and murder in check. The vast majority of cops investigated by the SIU (police investigating police) are cleared of all charges. The time has come for us as victims of the police to begin providing our own solutions. This is why we are calling for a rally and demonstration on Saturday April 30th in Hamilton.

We demand an open investigation into the murder of Andreas Chinnery! We will no longer accept police brutality in our city! We will stand together across our communities in defence of those targeted by the police!