A group that accuses police of being too easy on aboriginal protesters claims it is being muzzled after it was refused meeting space in an eastern Ontario town facing a land dispute with local Mohawks.

"It's typical suppression of free speech," said Gary McHale, after trying unsuccessfully to book the Lion's Club hall in Deseronto, Ont., on behalf of a group that's been critical of the way police have handled an ongoing Six Nations occupation in Caledonia, Ont., and runs the website Caledonia Wake Up Call.

'We do not want to stir the pot.'— Clarence Zieman, deputy mayor of Deseronto

A group of protesters from the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory near Deseronto, Ont., has occupied a quarry close to the town for more than two months, and McHale said he wants to help town residents.

"The purpose of our meeting was to teach people how to gather evidence and how to file police service complaints," said McHale, who is from Richmond Hill, Ont.

McHale was told he could not book the hall in Deseronto because local functions take precedence over events from out of town.

He said he doesn't believe that's the real reason his group was turned away, and that his group will try other means to meet with Deseronto residents.

Caledonia Wake Up Call accuses Ontario Provincial Police of allowing aboriginal protesters to break the law and of not protecting non-aboriginals during an occupation such as the one in Caledonia.

That protest over disputed land earlier slated for development has been going on for over a year and involved a number of confrontations between protesters and townspeople during its early days.

Occupation peaceful: deputy mayor

Clarence Zieman, deputy mayor of Deseronto, said so far the occupation near his community has been peaceful.

"We are in a delicate situation here," he said, "and we do not want to stir the pot and make it look as if the OPP are not doing their job."

The band council of the Tyendinaga territory is currently negotiating with the federal government over the disputed land.

Meanwhile, the federal government made a $125-million offer in May to settle four aboriginal land claims in an attempt to end the Caledonia occupation.