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The slow-rolling trial of Tamara Lich and Chris Barber continues today in Ottawa as two of the most prominent figures of the Freedom Convoy face charges of mischief, obstructing police, counselling others to commit mischief and intimidation.

Lich was previously arrested in early 2022 and spent almost 50 days in jail over her role as an organizer of the peaceful anti-mandate demonstrations that took place in Ottawa.

The Crown finished presenting its closing arguments during Wednesday's proceedings as it attempted to label Lich as a ringleader of 'mischief' during the protests. The defence teams are expected to respond to the Crown's evidence throughout today's proceedings.

FINALLY: On Wednesday, August 14, the crown finished presenting their closing arguments against freedom convoy organizer Tamara Lich and co-accused Chris Barber in the Ottawa Courthouse.

FULL REPORT by @SarahCStock: https://t.co/WII3cSlCDI

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) August 15, 2024

Rebel News reporter Sarah Stock is on the ground at the courthouse in Ottawa and will be providing live updates.

It’s Day 41 of freedom convoy organizer Tamara Lich’s trial, the longest mischief trial in Canadian history– the process is the punishment. Today, the defense will be responding to the crown’s evidence. Follow along with my live tweets to find out what happens!
To support… pic.twitter.com/QgvsAJk3z9

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Follow along below for live updates from the trial:

Court is over for today! Set to resume next Monday, Tuesday and Friday.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense shows a video of Barber complying with police during his arrest as an example of him encouraging others to behave lawfully by leading with example.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defence plays video where Barber is with Brian Peckford, who helped craft the Charter of rights and freedoms. The two were excited, saying they’re in Ottawa to defend their charter’s rights and freedoms, and yelled ‘hold the line.’ Defence said in that context, ‘hold the line’…

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense and judge are discussing various meanings of ‘hold the line’ such as
-be strong
-don’t give up
-be peaceful

Hmmm. I always assumed the phrase meant ‘keep protesting’- what did it mean to you?

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense responds to crown’s claim that the phrase ‘hold the line’ is encouragement to obstruct police. She says ‘hold the line’ can hold many different meanings. Judge agrees– it could mean stay strong in your convictions.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

LOL
Defence: There’s a famous song called ‘hold the line’
Judge: Must have been before my time
Defence: well, I don’t know about that
*Courtroom laughs*
Judge: the trial was going well until now

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

The defense brings into question the reliability of the crowns evidence. She recalls a crown witness who testified seeing defecation on a church property from the truckers, who later when asked if she personally saw the defecation, said no, she heard about it from someone else.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

The defense explains that when the emergencies act was enacted, it was to involve other levels of government to clear out the protesters, not to enforce already existing bylaws such as parking violations.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense asserts that Barber had no positive duty to assist police in moving trucks.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Barber’s defense claims there was not a single video where he was directing anyone to block streets, but there are dozens of videos and texts where Barber talks about doing slow rolls.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense provides evidence Barber was speaking with legal counsel about how to peacefully protest in compliance with the law before and during arrival to Ottawa, once again proving intent to comply with the law

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Court has resumed. Defense is continuing to respond to crowns evidence with further context to prove mens rea

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

It’s lunch break– court will resume at 2!

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

I’m no lawyer, but it seems to me that the crown has nothing on Lich and Barber. The defense’s further context to the evidence demonstrates the two’s intent for the protest to be lawful from the very start. It also shows they didn’t have full control of the convoy at all and…

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Text from Barber: ‘Pissed me off. We unblocked three blocks of streets, and the stupid asses blocked them again.’
Another text: ‘I’m trying to get these guys to listen.’

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense responds to evidence that Kent street was blocked, and produces texts that show Barber collaborating with police to unblock the street:
‘How can it be argued that his mens rea is to block streets? It’s totally contradictory to his actions.’

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Texts between Barber and Lich show they wanted leaders of other factions of the convoy who were causing trouble to be ‘shut down’

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense provides texts between Lich and Barber that shows they were upset with others planning on gridlocking the city, and were interested in working with police to keep the protest lawful.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense shows a text from ‘Big Baller’ to Barber asking if a direction to move to residential streets was from him. He responded no, he’s working on things with police.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense shows a series of text messages between Barber and multiple people that demonstrate a lack of evidence that he was intending to gridlock the city, and shows that his mindset was about calming down those who were suggesting gridlocking.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense shows text messages that show that Barber was expecting a staging area for the protest, but that wasn’t provided and the protest spread all over the city.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense: There’s no evidence that my client ever had intent to block streets.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense plays TikTok video where Barber says ‘Ottawa police told us to park right on Wellington. That’s pretty cool huh.’

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense says Barber was part of a convoy of truckers, but there were different intents within the group. She says each individual should have their own actions assessed. Barber is not responsible for the actions of others just because they were part of the same protest.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense says that Ottawa is the place to protest- it’s the capital city. She says that was Barber’s intent in going to Ottawa. There was no evidence Barber was premeditating gridlocking the city

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense emphasizes context- people who came to Ottawa to protest had the right to do so. She pushes back on the crowns argument that the protest became unlawful because of the unprecedented numbers and length of time. She says numbers and time don’t make the protest unlawful.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Defense quotes Barber: ‘I wish you could see inside me sole [my soul]. If I could pick each one [trucks]up and move them I would. This I [is] so much bigger than just the truckers now.’

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Barber’s defense emphasizes that the accused must be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. She says she will be asserting that there is a lack of evidence that Barber is guilty, and that there is a lack of mens rea (intent)

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024

Once again, court got to an hour late start this morning. Resuming now!

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 15, 2024