Democracy Fund blasts Hamilton police for targeting controversial political group
In a statement Monday, the civil liberties charity criticized the police response to attempts by the Dominion Society of Canada to secure venues in Hamilton for its DomCon event.
The Democracy Fund is accusing Hamilton Police of overstepping its authority by contacting venues connected to a controversial political group, despite police acknowledging the organization’s messaging does not cross the threshold into criminal or unlawful activity.
In a statement Monday, the civil liberties charity criticized the police response to attempts by the Dominion Society of Canada to secure venues in Hamilton for its DomCon event.
Hamilton Police have publicly described messaging associated with DomCon as “divisive and exclusionary” and said it could negatively affect the “sense of safety and belonging” in the community.
Police have also encouraged venues to consider the broader impact of hosting the event and reportedly visited businesses to inform them about the group.
But according to a police spokesperson quoted by the media, authorities have conceded that “at this time, the messaging associated with the event does not meet the threshold for criminal or unlawful activity.”
The Democracy Fund argues that this makes the police intervention particularly troubling.
“Deploying police resources against a political organization based on that police force's own political evaluation constitutes an improper use of law enforcement powers,” the organization said.
TDF argues police should intervene based on objectively reasonable public-safety or criminal concerns, not whether officers or officials consider a group's political views offensive or divisive.
The organization also warned that police visits to prospective venues could reasonably be perceived as intimidation and could interfere with Charter protections for freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
“Whether a group holds politically unpalatable views is irrelevant to the existence and application of Charter rights,” TDF executive director Mark Joseph said.
“Either we have Charter rights that are universally applicable, or we are subject to the whims of police bureaucrats who get to decide when we have those rights.”
TDF maintains that controversial and offensive political views remain protected by the Charter unless they cross the line into unlawful conduct.
Sheila Gunn Reid
Chief Reporter
Sheila Gunn Reid is the Editor-in-Chief, Alberta Bureau Chief, member of the board of directors, and host of The Gunn Show at Rebel News. Sheila also serves as President of the Independent Press Gallery of Canada. A mother of three and longtime conservative activist, Sheila is the author of bestselling books, including her most recent release, Independence Blueprint: What Alberta Can Learn From Quebec.
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