Pastor Artur Pawlowski has been fighting against COVID tyranny since public health restrictions were first imposed. While he's had many successes in his legal fights, he was found guilty of charges stemming from a sermon he gave at the Coutts, Alberta, border blockade during February 2022.

Today, Pastor Artur Pawlowski faces sentencing in Lethbridge, Alberta. Rebel News CEO Ezra Levant is on the scene at the Lethbridge Courthouse and will be providing live updates.

I’m in Lethbridge for the sentencing hearing of Artur Pawlowski, the Christian pastor convicted of giving a peaceful sermon in support of the trucker convoy at Coutts, Alberta last year. Follow me for live tweets and go to https://t.co/bMwAj1jl5n to crowdfund his lawyers! pic.twitter.com/h3ZDYKopen

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

Approximately 150 people wanted to enter the courtroom even though there is only room for about 25 people where the proceedings are taking place.

We’re in courtroom 3 at the Lethbridge courthouse. It is a very small court with barely room for 25 people. There are other courtrooms that are double this size. There were approximately 150 people who wanted to come in. It’s not a good look for “justice”.

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

Ezra Levant describes a massive police presence both inside and outside the courthouse.

There is an enormous police presence, not just in the courtroom but in the lobby and on the streets outside, too. Cops with Kevlar vests. The average Pastor Artur supporter is a 60-year-old Christian woman. It really is an absurd flexing of state power. https://t.co/bMwAj1jl5n.

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

The prosecutor has asked for a private meeting with Pastor Artur's lawyers.

Weird: prosecutor Steven Johnston burst into the court and asked for a private huddle with Artur’s lawyers. No sign yet of the judge.

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

The judge has announced that he will permit the proceedings to be streamed online.

UPDATE: the judge has allowed the proceedings to be streamed online at a portal on the Alberta Courts website.

UPPERDATE: I’m not even kidding, the prosecutor, Steven Johnston, complains that his face will be shown to the public!

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

Try this link: https://t.co/TPFR9LXvMS

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

The prosecution has confirmed that there is no publication ban.

Steven Johnston confirms there is no publication ban.

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

Pastor Artur Pawlowski and his family told Ezra Levant they are ready for any outcome earlier this morning.

Johnston now rises for the substance of the hearing: sentencing Pastor Artur. He was already convicted. The only question is how severe the sentence will be. I spoke with Pastor Artur and his family this morning and they are prepared for prison. pic.twitter.com/3ZTrtnOAeS

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

The prosecution is complaining about Pastor Artur Pawlowski publicly labelling his conviction as unjust.

Steven Johnston is now complaining that Pastor Artur is publicly stating that his conviction is unjust. He’s complaining that Artur called prosecutors “gestapo” and “evil”. This is a very personal vendetta by Johnston.

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

Prosecutor Johnston is asking for 30 days in jail for Pastor Artur Pawlowski.

Prosecutor Johnston says he’s asking for 30 days in prison, but is prepared to accept one day in recognition of time served. He wants prison for Pastor Artur.

He will make him a martyr again.

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

Prosecutor Johnston has clarified that he actually wants 8-10 months of jail time for Pastor Artur Pawlowski.

Prosecutor now clarifies, he wants “Eight to ten months” in prison for Pastor Artur.

Eight to ten months in prison for giving a sermon.

That’s Iran stuff, China stuff. What a disgrace. No wonder Johnston doesn’t want his face shown to the public.

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

I’m stunned. This prosecutor want to our Artur Pawlowski in prison for eight to ten months for giving a 17-minute sermon to the truckers.

Madness.

Authoritarianism.

Vicious.

Anti-Christian.

Out of control.

Help us appeal this at https://t.co/bMwAj1jl5n.

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

Ezra Levant shows the huge police presence outside the courthouse.

Here’s some of the police firepower mustered outside the court. https://t.co/bMwAj1jl5n pic.twitter.com/SJhSsEFKye

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

Around 150 people showed their support for Pastor Artur Pawlowski outside the courthouse this morning.

Earlier this morning, a crowd of ~150 chants their support for Pastor Artur Pawlowski outside the courthouse. Please help defray his significant legal costs at https://t.co/bMwAj1jl5n. pic.twitter.com/FqtzjLc2IK

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

Pastor Artur Pawlowski is about to be sentenced.

We’re here for the sentencing of Pastor Artur Pawlowski. Judge is going to read it verbatim (except the legal citation footnotes). I estimate this will take half an hour. So obviously this was prepared in the main in advance of today.

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

Judge: crown wants 8-10 months for mischief, and one day concurrently for the breach of order charge.

Defence: 7 days plus one day, with time served already. (He has 78 days of pre-trial credit.)

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

The judge says that incarceration is required to achieve "denunciation and deference."

Judge: incarceration is required to achieve denunciation and deference.

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

So Pastor Artur will be given jail time. The question is: will it be more than the 78 days credit he gets for time served before trial?

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

Pastor Artur Pawlowski has been sentenced to 60 days in jail and will get credit for time served.

🚨🚨🚨Pastor Artur Pawlowski sentenced to 60 days in prison. Will get credit for 60 days time served. Please help us appeal this sentence (and his conviction) by chipping in at https://t.co/bMwAj1jl5n.

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

Court is over. Artur walks free — no jail time other than what was served.

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

Huge cheers from the hallway when Artur walks out of the courtroom.

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

A large crowd is waiting in support of Pastor Artur Pawlowski outside of the courthouse in Lethbridge.

Stepping outside the court — a huge crowd is thrilled that Pastor Artur Pawlowski will not be punished any further. (But we will be appealing his conviction — to help, go to https://t.co/bMwAj1jl5n). pic.twitter.com/m7uc7IkClV

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 18, 2023

This page will be updated as proceedings continue.