A Hamilton LGBTQ+ activist accused of breaching parole conditions following a recent homophobic protest that turned violent at recent Pride celebrations says the allegations are unfounded.

Cedar Hopperton holds out hope a parole board hearing scheduled Thursday will mean exiting Vanier Centre for Women in Milton and going home.

"I feel good that things are moving forward," Hopperton, a 33-year-old trans person, said during a phone call from the correctional facility Tuesday evening.

In the meantime, Hopperton is moved by an international show of support — as expressed through a "Free Cedar" campaign — since being arrested June 22. "It's beautiful. It's absolutely beautiful."

A group of Christian extremists crashed the festivities, waving homophobic signs at celebrants and bellowing matching rhetoric through a megaphone.

In response, a phalanx of pink-masked Pride supporters positioned a big, black, fabric screen in front of the preachers and other alt-right protesters to block the display from celebrants' view.

In video shot at the scene, the preachers are seen trying to outmanoeuvre the screen with one throwing a punch at a "pink bloc" member. The violence spiralled from there with more pushes, kicks and punches.

Hopperton is one of five people charged in the Gage Park fallout. Only one is aligned with the preachers and alt-right protesters who accompanied them.

The rest are defenders of Pride, Hopperton said, noting feeling "really proud" of their actions.

The arrests have sparked outrage from the LGBTQ+ community and allies who were already critical of how police responded to the violence.

But that day, Hopperton says they — which is their preferred pronoun — weren't even at the park, much less a member of the pink bloc.

Several friends and acquaintances have attested to this, as well.

Police say they have evidence to the contrary but haven't shared the details of it publicly. "Based on video and witness evidence, Hamilton Police provided information to the parole board that Cedar Hopperton was present at the counter protest at Gage Park," police spokesperson Jackie Penman wrote in an email last week.

Hopperton said they are surprised by the Gage Park allegations, having not seen them spelled out in documents since the Ontario Parole Board revoked their parole. "If they are accusing me of that, it didn't figure in the report that I saw."

But Hopperton said they have seen other allegations that "generally" describe the content of a speech they made during a public forum held at city hall on June 18 in the aftermath of the Pride violence.

Police have said more than once the accusations stem from Hopperton's alleged role with the pink bloc but haven't noted the city hall speech.

Penman couldn't be reached for followup comment on Tuesday.

Last week, The Spectator reported Hopperton saying they are "not part of any community that includes police" during the June 18 meeting, which also heard from other members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Moreover, Hopperton also encouraged people to use measured force without police and to have "the strength to be violent if necessary," The Spectator reported.

On Tuesday, Hopperton said the remarks have been "distorted" and added: "The allegations that somehow my comments breached the peace or incited anything to happen, I think, are just ridiculous."

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Lawyer Asaf Rashid said the notion that his client's speech breached the peace is "unbelievable."

"It's one thing to speak about philosophy, to speak about ideology, and it's another to counsel someone to do something illegal."

Hopperton has been on parole since they were convicted in an anti-gentrification vandalism spree on Locke Street South in March 2018. They have until the end of July to serve out the sentence.

Others were also sanctioned following the march of masked protesters who damaged cars and businesses. Hopperton, an anarchist who has also taken up environmental causes, noted Tuesday they were not accused of doing damage, but they support those who did.

In addition to the worldwide show of support, local community advocates are urging all charges against thePride defenders be dropped.

That includes Cameron Kroetsch, a member of Hamilton Queers Against Hate, who reiterated his sentiments on Twitter Tuesday.

"Police must 'FreeCedar' and the rest of those charged for defending Pride from homophobic and white supremacist extremists."

One alt-right protester was filmed swinging a helmet twice into people's faces as the clash continued to rage in the park.

Chris Vanderweide, 27, was arrested at his home in Kitchener last week and charged with two counts of assault with a weapon.

His bail hearing is scheduled for Thursday morning at John Sopinka Courthouse.

tmoro@thespec.com

905-526-3264 | @TeviahMoro

- A primer on the aftermath of Hamilton Pride: What has occurred since the violence, what happens now?