Protesters spar over Cobourg Mayor’s controversial statement over the homeless shelter

Robert Washburn July 16, 2025 2 min read

Protesters in front of Victoria Hall — Protesters are seeking to have Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland resign over a recent statement regarding homelessness. Photo by Dan Jones, Northumberland 89.7 FM New, LJI

By: Dan Jones
Northumberland 89.7 FM News, Local Journalism Initiative.

July 16, 2025

COBOURG – Protesters and counter-protesters faced off Wednesday at Victoria Hall in Cobourg over Mayor Lucas Cleveland’s recent public statement regarding open-air drug use and homelessness within the Town.

In late June, Cleveland issued his letter, calling the emergency homeless shelter at 310 Division Street a failure in public policy and that “the general public are no longer going to accept the criminality, chaos, and unaccountability.”

This letter was issued following a four-hour town hall meeting a week prior regarding the homeless shelter, where speakers expressed support, opposition, and sympathy for the situation.

Since that letter, Cleveland’s supporters have backed his tougher stance, while his detractors have called for him to resign.

Community activist Theresa Rickerby said that Cleveland needs to be held accountable for his language and treatment of the public, calling for Cleveland to step down.

“The accountability that I’m looking for is the accountability in the communication that he is doing. The accountability in the way he speaks to Council members. The accountability for the discomfort that he has caused so many folks in his office,” said Rickerby.

As approximately 12 protestors were preparing for their demonstration, an unidentified individual began shouting in support of Cleveland. He said the mayor was the only person standing up for the public and what he called the left-wing agenda.

“I’ve watched everyone in Council go against him. He’s the only one to stand up for the people in this town. He’s the only one on council worth anything; everyone else should be gone,” said a man who refused to be identified.

Cleveland did not appear before the protesters at the town hall.

At a Special Council meeting on July 3, Cleveland refused to participate in that meeting, as fellow Councillors were set to debate Cleveland’s June statement. He pronounced that he would not be resigning and could not be forced to step down.