Pride Hamilton files Human Rights Tribunal complaint against the city and police
Organization is asking for $600K in damages
Pride Hamilton has filed a complaint against police with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, saying the service discriminated against the organization by failing to protect participants at last year's Pride celebrations.
The organization is asking for $600,000 in damages — pointing out that's the same figure police allocated for an independent review of Pride 2019.
"In our claim, we ask for damages of $600,000 to be allocated to support initiatives, programs, and/or organizations in Hamilton's Two Spirit and LGBTQIA+ communities," reads a statement posted to Twitter Wednesday morning.
"We believe that these communities deserve at least as much compensation for the trauma they've endured as a result of this discrimination."
In its statement Pride says the organization believes the police service discriminated against it on the basis of "sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression."
The complaint was actually filed on June 12, according to Pride, roughly one year after the Pride Hamilton festival at Gage Park was disrupted on June 15, 2019.
A religious group arrived with homophobic signs, accompanied by people associated with the yellow vest group that had been at city hall for several weekends. They were met with counter protesters who wore pink masks and used a large black curtain to shield the protesters from the view of the festival.
Violence broke out and several people were injured. One protester was arrested, three counter-protesters were charged and one person was arrested who was later found to not be at the festival.
An independent review found the police response to the violence was "inadequate" and the lack of police preparation meant the service "failed to protect" festival attendees.
On Friday, June 12, 2020 Pride Hamilton filed an application against the Hamilton Police Service (HPS) and the City of Hamilton with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. A link to a downloadable PDF of this statement is available at <a href="https://t.co/gkq1r7XHzG">https://t.co/gkq1r7XHzG</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HamOnt?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HamOnt</a> <a href="https://t.co/MmtVJp4rxd">pic.twitter.com/MmtVJp4rxd</a>
—@HamiltonPrideHamilton's police services board has since said it "sincerely and unreservedly apologizes" for what happened and that it will implement all 38 recommendations from the report. Chief Eric Girt has also apologized.
The complaint from Pride was also filed against the city.
"Additionally, following Pride 2019, the Chair of the Hamilton Police Services Board and the Mayor of the City of Hamilton made public comments that defended the HPS's preparation and response," states Pride.
"These comments served to support and embolden the conduct of the Hamilton Police Service."
The organization says its retained Ross & McBride LLP and will be represented by a legal team led by Wade Poziomka.