‘How am I supposed to be a proud Hamiltonian now?’ Reactions to the removal of the ‘Defund Police’ paint
Published July 24, 2020 at 6:24 pm
On Thursday (July 23), protesters shut down Main St in Hamilton to send a message to the Hamilton Police Service (HPS).
On Thursday (July 23), protesters shut down Main St in Hamilton to send a message to the Hamilton Police Service (HPS).
During the HPS board meeting, protestors in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement painted “Defund The Police” in big block letters on Main in front of Hamilton City Hall.
According to reports, there is a criminal investigation underway and at least one search warrant had been executed.
WHY did @cityofhamilton spend $, block traffic all day to ERASE this message painted by our youth – whom are now being investigated by police.
EVERY. OTHER. MAJOR. CITY. has left these street murals untouched.
How am I supposed to be a proud Hamiltonian now? @HamiltonsMayor pic.twitter.com/tZpM9q8hDl
— Terra Lightfoot (@terralightfoot) July 24, 2020
Placing jersey barriers on Claremont Rd after a motorist killed a cyclist who was commuting home: 5 years.
Power-washing a political message off Main St after protestors called for more social service and less police brutality: 5 minutes.#HamOnt #Priorities #DefundPolice https://t.co/vU2eQCvrUB
— Ryan Wash Your Hands and Wear a Mask McGreal (@RyanMcGreal) July 24, 2020
The City of Hamilton issued a statement saying while they support the right to public demonstrations, the wet paint created hazardous road conditions and needed to be removed.
Videos
Different social media commentators referred to the act as anything from graffiti and vandalism to art and artistic disruption.
Two Hamilton City Councillors defended the actions of the youth on Twitter.
Maureen Wilson responded specifically to a video showing a man yelling obscenities at the protestors, asking, “What upsets you more? 1) Yellow paint on Main St as an act of civil disobedience or 2) this threatening, hateful, abusive behaviour? One can be washed away. The other has been here forever…”
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” Here’s a test,what upsets you more? 1.yellow paint on Main St as an act of civil disobedience or 2.this threatening, hateful, abusive behaviour? One can be washed away.The other has been here forever &remains https://t.co/2xaoWxWUxs
— Maureen Wilson (@ward1wilson) July 24, 2020
Ward 3 councillor Nrinder Nann, meanwhile, called the demonstration “peaceful and creative”.
“…direct action has always been an integral part of a healthy democracy. So has calling for accountability of the use public funds. #HamOnt #DefundThePolice”
Peaceful, creative direct action has always been an integral part of a healthy democracy. So has calling for accountability of the use public funds. #HamOnt #DefundThePolice https://t.co/SmZl7n9wY2
— Nrinder Nann (@NrinderWard3) July 23, 2020
Meanwhile, the Hamilton Police Service reportedly proposed a 20 per cent reduction to its budget this fall as calls to “defund police” resonates throughout the continent.
Most people behind the movement are asking for money to be removed from police budgets and reallocated to social services – specifically mental health services that many feel are better equipped to handle distress calls to police.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto threw its support behind the removal of officers from the front lines for people in mental health emergencies.
It follows a string of deaths at the hands of police involving people in crisis over the last couple of months.
Ejaz Choudry, a 62-year-old father of four with schizophrenia killed by police in Mississauga after his family called a non-emergency line.
While, Rodney Levi, 48, was fatally shot by the RCMP in New Brunswick and D’Andre Campbell, 26, was fatally shot in April in Brampton after his family says he called 911 for help.
Cover photo courtesy of Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion via Instagram
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