LIVE UPDATES: Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich's trial nears conclusion

The longest-running mischief trial in Canadian history continues as Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich returns to court.

By Rebel News
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August 23, 2024
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News Analysis

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The drawn-out trial of Tamara Lich and co-accused Chris Barber is set to resume this morning as two of the most prominent faces of the Freedom Convoy return to court in Ottawa.

Lich and Barber have been charged with mischief, obstructing police, counselling others to commit mischief and intimidation for their roles in the peaceful anti-mandate demonstrations that took place in Ottawa in early 2022.

The defence is expected to continue its closing arguments today in a legal battle that began after Lich was arrested in Ottawa during the Freedom Convoy.

Rebel News journalist David Menzies is on the ground at the courthouse in Ottawa and will be covering today's proceedings.

Follow along below for live updates:

Judge ends by noting this case is “unprecedented.”
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

That’s a wrap. Next court date for the Lich/Barber matter is set for the morning of Friday the 13th (September). Greenspon says he’s ok with that date as he does “not suffer from Triskaidekaphobia.”
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Lawrence Greenspon ends his submission by quoting Benjamin Franklin: “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: the right to participate in that peaceful protest (freedom convoy) was judiciously approved.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: Tamara Lich did not do or say anything to encourage people to come to Ottawa to commit a crime.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: Ms Lich’s purpose in Ottawa was to implore the government to withdraw the Covid mandate. This policy was threatening the livelihood of so many Canadians. For Lich to tell the government to withdraw these mandates should not be considered a crime.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: the Crown has failed to establish that Lich instructed people to come to Ottawa to block or impede roads.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: citing previous case law: Protests are inherently disruptive and constitutionally protected.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: that the OPS could not enforce the law due to the overwhelming number of demonstrators in the downtown core is debatable.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: this (trucker convoy) was all about freedom of expression. Such freedom if expression is at its height when Canadians travel all the way to Parliament Hill and demonstrate before the government and the police.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Quoting previous case law, Greenspon notes that it was cited that peaceful picketing during a strike ultimately interferes with the employer’s business - even if that conduct (striking) may be considered unneighbourly or unkind.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: the argument (by the Crown) was that it was ok for Ms Lich to express herself… but it was the consequences of the expression that were problematic. All communication - apart from writing in a diary - has a purpose.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: cites case the Crown relied on (McCann) re: blocking cattle trucks. Judge said the intention of a protest is to express displeasure with the government of the day.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Some interesting characters in the courtroom hearing the Lich/Barber case. Including a pink-haired lady (I think) wearing a “Protect Trans Youth” T-shirt. Also wearing earrings in the shape & colours of the Palestinian flag and kaffiyeh scarf. Does not compute…
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Court now in recess until 2 p.m.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: none of these (mischief) cases provided by the Crown involved the authorities giving direction of where to park.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: let’s look at the plethora of Crown cases regarding mischief, none of which are helpful (regarding the Crown’s case against Lich and Barber.)
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: an element of mischief is that it has to be done willfully. There is no evidence that Lich participated in any way to get people to come to Ottawa and get them to take part in interference of the property of residents.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: previous testimony indicates there were no reductions in response times for emergency services.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: heart of the Crown case is that Tamara Lich encouraged others to come to Ottawa. But what Lich did was entirely lawful - urging participants to be peaceful and lawful.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Court now in recess for 25 minutes.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: quoting previous testimony, the decision to block off Ottawa streets was made by Ottawa Police for safety reasons.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: based on evidence from police officers [at a trial last year], they stated the protest would be a significant event that would go on for an unspecified amount of time.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: the freedom convoy trucks were ushered into the core of the city without any time limit.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon continues to make the case that OPS was initially accommodating the trucker convoy participants arriving in Ottawa, providing routes and places where the trucks were supposed to park. This was a “staging area”.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: Ottawa Police Service (OPS) provided maps telling the protestors which routes to take and where to park.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Judge notes that the police “didn’t quite know where the line was” in respecting freedom of speech and assembly.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: Crown says freedom of speech and freedom of assembly should take a back seat to comfort of residents. We say: not so.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: Crown seeks to criminalize the agreement between the Mayor and Ms. Lich.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspan: Crown is looking for à conspiracy against downtown residents despite calls for peaceful demonstration and cooperation with police.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Greenspon: Crown seems to criminalize the words and actions oF organizers who continually asked participants to be peaceful and cooperate with police.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Granger: notes Chris Barber posted a TikTok joke “to mess cops up.”
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Granger: if one looks at the statements of Chris Barber… [those statements] were not made to moving a conspiracy forward.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Granger: “having gone through the evidence… Ms Lich’s actions and words… [indicate that] Ms Lich is not party to any unlawful agreement.”
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Lich lawyer Granger submits reports where the phrase, “hold the line” is used.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Judge now in the courtroom.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

Many Tamara Lich supporters in the courtroom to take in Day 44 of a mischief trial. Isn’t mischief typically a minor crime, such as a kid spray painting the side of a building? It is surreal that this trial, costing millions of dollars, continues. Process is the penalty.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

In addition to lawyer Lawrence Greenspon, Lich is also represented by Eric Granger. Chris Barber is represented by Diane Magas & Marwa Younes. Still waiting for Ontario Court Justice Heather Perkins-McVey to start the proceedings.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

I’m in Ottawa for Day 44 (!) of the Tamara Lich & Chris Barber trial for mischief. Proceedings are about to begin. Star lawyer Lawrence Greenspon will be representing Lich today. Stay tuned for live tweets.
— David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) August 23, 2024

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