Hamilton leaders react after ‘mass deportation’ demonstration on Saturday

Reaction continues to pour in after a demonstration on Saturday near Jackson Square demanded “mass deportations.” A group of hooded and masked protestors dressed in all black gathered near the entrance of the square and held a large banner that read: “mass deportations now.”

This sparked reaction from multiple community leaders, and the Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council (HIPC) held a news conference at city hall Thursday. The HIPC says anti-immigration sentiment has risen in Canada, and it may have to do with issues such as the job and housing markets.

“We look around and we think about who is new here…and what we think they might be taking, but that’s not the true story. The true story is the contributions, the advantages, and the development they are creating for our community,” says Medora Uppal, CEO of the YWCA in Hamilton.

One such contribution to the community comes from Tej Sandhu, the founder of Merit Brewing on James Street North. He comes from a family of immigrants who made their mark in Canada, and when he heard about the protest happening just down the street from his business, he was shocked, saying the display was “incredibly unnerving.”

WATCH MORE: Hamilton leaders speak out over weekend ‘Mass Deportations’ protest downtown

Sandhu and Uppal gathered with others outside city hall this morning, denouncing hate and challenging the narrative surrounding immigrants. 

The CEO of Wesley Hamilton, Halton, and Brantford, Rashed Afif, offers refugee settlement services. He believes one cause of anti-immigration sentiment in Canada comes from issues regarding jobs and housing.

“It’s very easy to scapegoat the most vulnerable individual [and] put all problems on their shoulder, [but] love over hate has been the narrative in Canada for years…I hope that continues,” he says.

According to a Leger poll in October, 65 per cent of respondents believe there are too many immigrants currently in the country. At the same time, Hamilton police saw a 26 per cent increase in reported hate crimes last year, with 96 occurrences related to racial bias.

Hamilton police tell CHCH News they were aware of the protest on Saturday and were present until it dispersed. They say information was collected during the demonstration, but no criminal charges were laid and they are not actively investigating.