Vandal leader of Locke Street sentenced to 5 years in prison

A group of people who took part in a wave of vandalism on Locke Street in March pleaded guilty to their roles in the flood of mischief.

Cedar Hopperton, an anarchist and local activist, pleaded guilty in the Ontario Court of Justice in Hamilton on Thursday morning under a misdemeanor charge of more than $ 5,000 and a chief of staff. charge of committing such mischief.

As a result of the joint submissions of his attorney and the Crown, Hopperton was sentenced to one year in jail, less than four months for the sentence served, which will be followed by one year of probation.

"See you soon, take care of each other," said the 31-year-old while he was escorted.

"I like you," responded a group of supporters who filled the center of the audience hall.

Hopperton was described in court as the "leader" of a masked group of 15 to 40 people who bombed buildings and vehicles with eggs and stones and who had earlier in the day invited people to attend a "militant and conflictual march".

According to the prosecution and a statement from the victim read in court, the crowd was interpreted by the residents of the neighborhood as a violent mob that left people scared and shaken.

Tammy Kovich, who received leaflets announcing the protest, pleaded guilty to a charge of more than $ 5,000. She was sentenced to a nine-month suspended sentence. This will be divided into three-month periods consisting of house arrest, a curfew and penalties, as well as a 12-month probationary period.

Matthew Lowell-Pelletier and David Prychitka also pleaded guilty of mischief over $ 5,000. They were sentenced to 18 months probation and 100 hours of community service.

A fifth participant, Tyler Nadeau, pleaded guilty to two counts of more than $ 5,000, but was not sentenced on Thursday. A pre-sentence report has been requested and he will be back in court for sentencing on February 5th.

Forbidden Locke Street

The conditions imposed on all defendants include banning the south section of Locke Street between Main Street and Aberdeen Avenue. Nor are they allowed to participate or hold any demonstration unless it is peaceful.

Defense counsel for the accused and the prosecution argued over whether a DNA supply order should be an integral part of the sentence, with defense counsel arguing that this constituted an unnecessary breach of the law. private life.

In the end, Judge Joe Fiorucci ruled that only Hopperton would be required to provide DNA evidence, recalling that the Hamilton resident had already been arrested at the G20 protest in 2010 and had pleaded guilty to a charge of counseling for mischief.

Hopperton has also been ordered to pay $ 1,500 to the victims, while the other three will have to pay $ 1,000 each.

& # 39; Because F – k the rich & # 39;

Hopperton was the organizer and promoter of an anarchist book fair held at Westdale High School during the weekend of March 3 and 4, 2018, according to an agreed statement of facts read in court.

According to the statement, Hopperton and Kovich distributed a flyer titled "Because Fk the Rich" during the book fair, and later in the day, stating "Hamilton has been beset by an epidemic of guppering yuppies." what we think about it "and advised" … a militant and conflictual march, [so] To be dressed properly. "

That was bad was a message. Be afraid, we are ungovernable, you can not stop us.– Gordon Akilie, Deputy Crown Attorney

The leaflet included a map of Durand Park.

The court heard that the police were called to the park around 9:34 pm after reports of a large group of people who spray-painted public property. After the arrival of the officers, members of the group, some of whom had brought stereo equipment, egg cartons and fireworks, began to detach themselves.

The facts indicate that the police attempted to talk with the group, but members left the park and headed for Bay Street before being stranded. Hopperton then told the group to "hide" and people started picking up bricks and other projectiles.

Kovich and Prychitka were among those who fired fireworks, the statement said.

The band members, including Lowell-Pelletier, wore a big black banner with the words "WE ARE THE UNGOUVERABLE".

Six companies, 10 vehicles and a police vehicle were damaged during the vandalism wave. (Ryan McGreal / Raise the hammer)

As the group headed to Aberdeen Avenue and turned to Locke Street, the statement said Nadeau vandalized vehicles and threw a boulder through a window at Donut Monster, causing others to break the last windows of the store.

He also threw stones through the windows of Bitten Cupcakes, "directed" the others by picking targets and telling people where they could find stones and other projectiles, according to the statement.

Once the police arrived in sufficient numbers to confront the crowd, its members fled, "losing several layers of clothing to try to escape the police."

"Mischief with a message"

"It was an evil, it was a message," prosecutor Gordon Akilie told the court.

Their message was: "Be afraid, we are ungovernable, you can not stop us, in fact you will not find us."

Akilie said: "It was an attack on the rule of law, an affront to citizens' ability to feel safe."

But the accused's lawyers, including Craig Bottomley, who represented Hopperton, claimed that they were motivated by social justice and called the city incident an attack on property.

Bottomley also described vandalism as a "political expression" that went into crime.

While reading his decision, Fiorucci referred to a statement by the victim of Tony Greco, president of BIA Locke Street.

He described the neighborhood as "inclusive and welcoming" and said that the wave of vandalism caused by what Greco called a "crowd" had created fear in the community.