Pride Hamilton files human rights complaint against police, city

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Published June 24, 2020 at 3:27 pm

Pride Hamilton has filed a human rights complaint against the Hamilton Police Service and the City of Hamilton.

Pride Hamilton has filed a human rights complaint against the Hamilton Police Service and the City of Hamilton.

On Wednesday (June 24), Pride Hamilton said they had filed an application with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario earlier this month.

“It’s our view that Hamilton Police Services discriminated against our organization on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression through its failure to properly plan for, protect, and respond to threats to the 2019 Pride celebrations in Hamilton,” a statement from Pride Hamilton says.

“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. These comments served to support and embolden the conduct of the Hamilton Police Service.”

Earlier this month, a report on the independent review of the events that took place before, during and after the Pride 2019 celebrations at Gage Park, found that police preparations for the event and their response during and its aftermath were “inadequate.”

The much-anticipated report, written by Scott Bergman of Cooper, Sandler, Shime & Bergman LLP in Toronto, found that “the HPS’s inadequate preparation for Pride 2019 resulted in a failure to protect the public and Pride attendees during the event.”

The report called on HPS and the Hamilton Police Services Board (HPSB) to “unequivocally” apologize for their mishandling of the situation.

An apology was read out at the Board’s meeting this month, and Chief Eric Girt also issued an apology.

However, Pride Hamilton is calling for further action to be taken.

As part of its Tribunal application, the organization is seeking $600,000 in damages.

The funds would then “be allocated to support initiatives, programs, and/or organizations in Hamilton’s Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ communities,” Pride’s statement says.

“We plan to direct those funds through an open and transparent process that allows for broad participation and consultation, however long that takes.

“We believe that these communities deserve at least as much compensation for the trauma they’ve endured as a result of this discrimination.”

The $600,000 figure is the same amount the HPSB paid to have the independent review carried out.

Pride Hamilton has retained Ross & McBride LLP in this proceeding and will be represented by a legal team led by Wade Poziomka, a Partner in the Human Rights Group.

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