CALEDONIA, Ont. - Ontario Provincial Police have charged four more people in connection with a violent protest over an aboriginal smoke shop in Caledonia earlier this month.
The charges include assault and public mischief and the accused will appear in court in late January and early February.
On Dec. 1, provincial police had to summon reinforcements to quell a disturbance at a disputed "smoke shack''.
The clash, which erupted after protesters alleged natives were selling cigarettes illegally, turned violent and two men were injured.
The protest was over a smoke shack that some contend is on land not owned by Six Nations.
Six Nations officials say the land is theirs, as it falls into a claim for the roadbed of Plank Road.
The claim is one of several currently being discussed at ongoing negotiations between the provincial and federal governments and Six Nations.
The land is not currently part of the reserve, and as such, is currently under the jurisdiction of Haldimand County and the provincial police.
The smoke shop is about a kilometre away from the former Douglas Creek Estates, which Six Nations protesters have occupied since February, 2006.
At one point during the more than hour-long incident, police formed a line to separate about 100 protesters from the natives that had gathered.
Ron Gibson, 42, of Oshweken, is charged with mischief and Steve Powless, 42, also of Oshweken, is charged with assault. Camille Powless, 41, of Six Nations, Ontario, is charged with public mischief. All three will appear in Provincial Court Jan. 30 in Cayuga. Ruth-anne Chapman, 53, of Caledonia, is charged with assault and is to appear in Provincial Court in Cayuga Feb. 6.
Days after the protest, a 36-year-old Caledonia man was charged with obstructing a police officer.
