Mohawk protester who blockaded Ont. rail line to surrender

The main spokesman for a group of aboriginal protesters who blocked a main Ontario rail corridor in April said he planned to give himself up to police Thursday morning.

Ontario provincial police issued a warrant for the arrest of Shawn Brant after his group blocked a rail lineused by Via Rail west of Kingston, Ont., on April 20, cutting off rail service between Toronto and Ottawa as well as between Toronto and Montreal for about 30 hours.

Brant said his arrest would not stop the group's ongoing protest over a tract of privately owned land near Deseronto, Ont., about 26 kilometres east of Bellville, that they say belongs to the Mohawksof the nearby Tyendinaga Territory.

"This is Mohawk community which is standing strong on this issue and will do so whether or not I'm sitting in a detention centre,"Brant said Wednesday. "Our objective is to resolve this issue."

Police said Brant will be charged with breach of recognizance and mischief.

He was scheduled to appear in court for a bail hearing later on Thursday.

Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory leadersarein talks with a federally appointed land claims negotiator to try to resolve the dispute over more than 400 hectares of land on the Bay of Quinte, including the site of a quarry and other businesses.

The protesters, who say talks are progressing too slowly, have occupied the quarry since March.