Live Updates: Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich's trial continues on day 31
During yesterday's proceedings, prosecutor Siobhan Westcher conceded that 'the Crown has never suggested the Freedom Convoy was violent.'
The trial of Tamara Lich and Chris Barber enters day 31 today in Ottawa. As two of the most prominent faces of the Freedom Convoy, Lich and co-accused Chris Barber are facing charges of mischief, obstructing police, counselling others to commit mischief, and intimidation. The Freedom Convoy demonstrations drew thousands of Canadians to Ottawa in early 2022 in opposition to COVID-19 restrictions.
As explained by Rebel News reporter Robert Kraychik, during yesterday's proceedings, the prosecution admitted that the Freedom Convoy was not at all violent in nature. Crown prosecutor Siobhan Westcher added that "[The Freedom Convoy] didn't descend into rioting" and "the absence of violence doesn't make something peaceful... [but] is merely a lack of an aggravating factor."
Kraychik noted, "Westcher's remarks were made in the context of the Crown's Carter application, which, if approved by Justice Heather Perkins-McVey — the judge presiding over the trial — would allow for incriminating evidence against one co-defendant to be attributable to both co-defendants."
Watch a full recap of yesterday's proceedings:
Kraychik is once again reporting from inside the Ottawa courthouse and will be providing live updates.
Follow along below:
Prosecutor Tim Radcliffe argues that Barber's repeated public calls for Canadians to support the Freedom Convoy by coming to Ottawa constitutes advancement of a criminal act given his premise that the demonstration itself was "unlawful".https://t.co/TWDiMnjMOA
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 30, 2023
Day 31 update: Crown describes Freedom Convoy as an "occupation", "obstruction", and "blockade" to persuade the judge that it was an "unlawful protest", therefore implicating Tamara Lich and Chris Barber as co-conspirators pursuing a criminal end.https://t.co/TWDiMnjMOA pic.twitter.com/NVkaw7cH4E
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 30, 2023
I've never had my phone go off in the courtroom. That's how committed I am to protecting Rebel News's reputation.
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 30, 2023
How could a large protest at the seat of Canada's federal government in Ottawa, involving Canadians from across this massive country, NOT include some aspect of "interference" or "obstruction" in terms of road traffic or access to private property? It's inevitable.…
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 30, 2023
More fundamentally/elementally, millions of Canadians viewed and understood the COVID-19 Enterprise as an unconstitutional and criminal violation of their rights as articulated in the CCRF and Bill of Rights. They did not need to be told to know this. https://t.co/pQdBaO3nMw
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 30, 2023
Radcliffe says the parallel messaging between Lich and Freedom Convoy demonstrators - emphasis on "love" over "fear", "rights", "freedom", etc - is indicative of her influence over the protesters. The judge replies that such "phraseology" is common.https://t.co/TWDiMnjMOA
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 30, 2023
Radcliffe described the Freedom Convoy as, at least partly, being a "blockade," "obstruction," "occupation," and "unlawful assembly" in his argument that the protest was generally illegal, and therefore, both Barber's/Lich's organizational roles amounted to a criminal conspiracy.
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 30, 2023
Justice Heather Perkins-McVey interjected with a reminder that Barber and Lich repeatedly called on Freedom Convoy demonstrators to maintain "peaceful" protests. https://t.co/3oSPrk3V3Whttps://t.co/TWDiMnjMOA
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 30, 2023
Radcliffe highlights Barber's and Lich's organizational roles as evidence of their influence/control over the Freedom Convoy and mischief committed within the context of the demonstration. Both were not "ordinary members ... of the occupation," he states.https://t.co/TWDiMnjMOA
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 30, 2023
Obstruction of roads in Ottawa and access to private property, Radcliffe adds, are the criminal acts Barber and Lich conspired to commit. Persuading the judge of a conspiracy to commit crimes is necessary for the Crown's Carter application to be accepted.https://t.co/TWDiMnjMOA
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 30, 2023
Radcliffe shares texts from Barber he says demonstrate criminal intent to illegally obstruct roads and access to private property: "We are completely messing the city up," "We fucked this town up," "It's already locked. We trainwrecked [Ottawa]."https://t.co/ZAu1htWpQy
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 30, 2023
Day 31: Prosecutor Tim Radcliffe presents evidence to support the Crown's Carter application - which, if accepted by the judge, would apply a conspiratorial architecture to the trial - which he says indicates criminal intent on the part of Chris Barber and Tamara Lich.
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 30, 2023
- By Ezra Levant
Support Tamara's Legal Defense
The Democracy Fund, a Canadian charity, is supporting Tamara Lich by crowdfunding her legal bills. The cost of Tamara's expert legal representation is almost half a million dollars, which Tamara, an ordinary mom and grandma from Medicine Hat, Alberta, cannot afford. But we have a secret weapon: Lawrence Greenspon, one of Ottawa's top lawyers, is on Tamara's side. Lawrence is accustomed to handling complex and serious cases, but his team is expensive — and they are worth every penny. If you can, please chip in to help cover Tamara's legal fees.
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