Independent review of police conduct at Pride won't be released until June at least

The lawyer investigating police conduct at a Hamilton Pride festival in June says-19 has postponed the release of thereview until at least June because of COVID-19.

In a letter tothe Hamilton Police Services Board,Scott Bergman says the release may have to be pushed back further if the current public gathering restrictions are in place.

The independent review into police conduct came after violence broke out at theJune 15 Pride festival in Gage Park.

Protesters arrived bearing religious signs and useda loudspeaker to make homophobic statements.

A group wearing pink masks used a large black cloth barricade to block them from view, and violence broke out. Several people were injured, and five people were arrested, including just one of the religious protesters.

Pride Hamilton and some festival attendeescriticized police response that day, saying officers took too long to intervene.

The board hiredBergman, from the Toronto firm Cooper, Sandler, Shime and Bergman LLP, as an independent reviewer.

The Hamilton police service has since appointed an openly LGBTQ officer to work with the local queer and trans communities as part of an effort to build trust.