The trial for the leaders of the so-called Freedom Convoy protest that gridlocked Canada’s capital for weeks in 2022 began on Tuesday.
Tamara Lich and Chris Barber each face counts of mischief and obstructing police.
The two were part of a group that led a convoy of lorries to Ottawa to protest against Covid-19 measures and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.
Experts say the outcome of the trial could reverberate beyond the courts.
I don’t support the convoy but didn’t they do what most large rallies do anyway? Make noise, block roads and make the news for weeks.
What comes of this court ruling could be dangerous for future protests for things that are truly important. Considering the charges for what seems to be minor crimes and not what was being reported at the time of inciting violence and smuggling I just don’t know what am I missing.
Most rallies don’t involve intentionally keeping locals awake at all hours with train horns. They also smashed windows of businesses that had pride flags, shat and pissed everywhere, threatened staff at one of our local homeless shelters demanding food, and one of my partner’s nursing colleagues recieved rape threats for walking to work in her scrubs and a mask.
At one point they also blocked an ambulance which resulted in a death. Not to mention this was happening during covid lockdown which I’m sure did not help stop the spread.
Civil disobedience comes with (and often relies on) full knowledge that there will be legal consequences.
These chucklefucks just don’t think the rules apply to them since leftist protesters are the ones who normally get the book thrown at them.
I live in downtown Ottawa and did during the convoy too. There’s often protests going on down here considering it’s the capital, but this one was not the same. I and everyone else down here faced constant harassment whenever we left our houses and had to listen to horns blaring 24/7. People were assaulted for just wearing a mask on the street, business windows broken for having pride flags, and roads blocked for 3 weeks straight.
People here say it was an occupation rather than a protest and it really did feel like it.
You’re not missing anything. Leaders around the world are trying to crack down on freedoms of their people. Hopefully everyone can see through this and their personal biases for the sake of all of their rights.