Far-right activity nottaken seriouslyenough in Hamilton, sociologistsays
Right-wing extremism is happening everywhere but this expert says Hamilton's response is lacking
As the citywrestles with recentviolence at Pride and ongoing yellow vest rallies, a sociologist saysHamilton has had "very little" response tofar-rightactivity in the city.
Many places are seeing arise inextreme right-wing movements, said TinaFetner, a sociology professorat McMaster University who specializes in right wing activism and LGTBQ politics.
But she saysHamilton has had a particularlymuted response.
"We're not addressing it as a serious issue," said Fetner, which makes it easier for opportunistic,often-onlinemovements to grow.
"We have all kinds of right wing activity going on, and everyoneseems to just shrug it off and not deal with it as a serious concern."
Meanwhile, somepeople are advocating forHamilton city council and police to takeconcerns about hate groups seriously, Fetnersaidbut there's a "slowness" and "lack of enthusiasm" foraddressing their issues.
Hamilton's policeand mayorhavefaced criticism for their response to the recent violence atPride, involvingfar-right extremistsholdinghomophobic signs.
Meanwhile, yellow vest protesters have beenholding Saturday morning rallies for months outside city hall,and awhite supremacist candidate ran for mayor in the last election, Fetner noted.
The city has also taken heat for employing Marc Lemire, the former head of a white supremacy organization, in its IT department (he is currently on leave during a city investigation).
Concerns 'not taken seriously'
Some residents have criticized police and city councillorsin the weeks after Pride.
Pride organizers saidpolice responded too slowlyto the violence at Pride. Police have also beencriticized fornot moving more quickly to arrest people after the altercation.
Mayor Fred Eisenbergerrecentlywoke up to protesterson his lawn withsigns saying "The mayor doesn't care about Queer People."
Eisenbergerbroke days of silence after Pridewith a statement sayingthe city needs to do better, pledging to organize a meeting with Hamilton's queer community.
The mayor briefly stoppeda city council meeting Wednesday afterangry residents shouted from the gallery when acouncillor said counter-protesters at Pride"gave oxygen" to the far-right extremists.
People are trying to have dialogue,said Fetner, but"Their concerns were not taken seriously."
"When you're written out of the agenda ... your only choices left areto shout."
There are signs city leaders are looking to make up for that lost time.
City staff have been tasked by council to see if there are ways it can shut down the hate protests and the mayor is moving forward with plans to engage withmembers of the city's LGBTQ community. On Friday he named Deirdre Pike and Cole Gatelyas two special advisors for a new dialogue.
A moment to makepositive change
This could be a time to make positive changes and supportLGTBQresidents, Fetner said.
Incorporating LGTBQ residentsintogovernments and police boards is the first step to positive change, she said.There's a lack of diversity in Hamilton city council, she noted, similar to several Ontario cities.
Fetner's colleagues at McMaster's School of Labour Studiesrecently published areport on theexperience of Hamilton's LGTBQ community.
While Canadiansmight think they've "solved the problems" of LGTBQ equality in Canada,community members stillface several issues, Fetner said, likehigher rates of violence and morenegative heath outcomes.
"These social problems are not the kinds of things that you can just say, oh we're done with that," she said.
Fetner says local institutions likepublic health, police andcity offices, "all need to take a look at what are they contributing to the climate for their LGTBQ community members."
With files from Colin Cote-Paulette
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