LIVE UPDATES: Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich stands trial in Ottawa

The drawn out trial of Tamara Lich continues today in Ottawa as one of the most prominent faces of the Freedom Convoy returns to court to face charges of mischief, obstructing police, counselling others to commit mischief and intimidation.

Co-accused Chris Barber is also facing the same charges as Lich, as the two leading figures of the Freedom Convoy eye the conclusion of their slow-rolling legal battle.

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

Closing arguments from Lich's defence team and the prosecution are expected to continue today in a legal saga that began approximately two-and-a-half years ago.

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

I’m in Ottawa, covering freedom convoy organizer Tamara Lich’s trial again today! Make sure to follow along for live updates.
The crown has been punishing Tamara by making this as long and expensive as possible. To help cover her enormous legal fees, go to https://t.co/5xqn96MdPT pic.twitter.com/3YQSMfIYTT

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

Follow along below for live updates from the trial:

The crown FINALLY wrapped up their final submissions of evidence. The defense will respond tomorrow.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

The crown shows a photo of Tamara wearing the same sweatshirt as another protester, in an attempt to demonstrate ‘unified purpose.’
Judge: maybe there was a sale
Crown: It’s a piece of the puzzle. I’m not saying it’s the most significant piece of the puzzle.
Everyone in the room…

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

INSANE REACH. The prosecutor quotes Tamara saying ‘we make choices from love, and we make choices from fear.’
He connects this to an ‘obstruction’ where protesters stood in front of police chanting ‘love over fear,’ painting this as evidence Tamara incited obstruction.
Half the…

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

Crown quoting Tamara: ‘Many of the citizens and businesses in Ottawa have been cheering us on but we are also disturbing others. That was never our intent.’

If anything, the prosecutor is making Tamara look good.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

The crown is now quoting Tamara saying ‘we are all one big family now’ as evidence against her.

Imagine having such a peaceful, loving statement used against you in court. Welcome to Canada!

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

Reminder that Trudeau’s use of the Emergencies Act to take apart the convoy was ruled UNCONSTITUTIONAL, yet no one has been punished. Meanwhile, everyday Canadians who protested the governments tyranny are still fighting in court in 2024. Disgusting!

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

Lunch is over, we’re back in court.
Prosecutor is wrapping up his evidence, reading out more of Barber’s text exchanges and TikTok transcripts.

Right now, he’s trying to prove Lich and Barber were working as a team (via a Carter Application) so that any evidence against one…

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

Tamara steps out of court for lunch, thanking her supporters 🙏🇨🇦
The system is coming after her with all they have– but Canadians have her back.
To help cover her legal fees (costing hundreds of thousands) please donate at https://t.co/5xqn96LG0l pic.twitter.com/6vBK0h0qKf

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

Crown says Tamara and Lich telling others to come to Ottawa is encouragement and ‘abetting.’

Judge: And with that, it’s time for lunch.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

Lich referring to the convoy as ‘Canada day on steroids’ in a TikTok video is presented by the crown as evidence against her.

Lol, i don’t get it.

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

Judge gets agreement from counsel that a lengthy transcript can be the crown’s last piece of evidence. Everyone laughs.

All sides agree– this has been going on for far too long!

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

This prosecutor keeps bringing up ‘but the context!’ every time he presents the most meaningless, irrelevant ‘evidence.’

I’m getting major Kamala Harris vibes from this guy pic.twitter.com/B6choX4f2u

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

The crown is presenting a TikTok video of Barber yelling ‘we have the truckers and we have the farmers!’ He pauses the video where Barber gives a thumbs up to a truck honking.

I was trying not to laugh– this is really the best they got? (I bet the prosecutor regrets taking this…

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

Crown pulls up a TikTok transcript of Barber telling viewers if a large swarm of police comes to their truck, to lock the doors, jump in the truck bed and honk the horn for as long as possible

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

Crown mentions a reporter asking Keith Wilson ‘people in Ottawa are tired… when are you going home?’
Keith responded, ‘I think she [Tamara] already answered that question’
The crown interpreted that as saying, ‘we’re not going home until the mandates are lifted’

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

Prosecutor says the convoy was ‘interference with sleep, work, and health’ as well as interference from others wearing masks via heckling

(Funny, i remember two years of life where i was heckled for NOT wearing masks)

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

Prosecutor quotes Barber: ‘I’ve [I’m] a bit overwhelmed, Ottawa city police are playing games, cutting food, fuel and lodging off’

Judge says the text wasn’t to Lich, it’s not relevant

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

The prosecutor quotes convoy leaders saying ‘we don’t want this to turn into a January 6’

He agreed with the judge that there’s no evidence Barber and Lich promoted any violence

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

The prosecutor says that the freedom convoy was anything BUT ‘peaceful, lawful, and safe’

Judge pushes back, saying that there’s been many instances of Tamara and Barber calling for people to be peaceful

Prosecutor: ‘peaceful is ambiguous’

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

The crown reveals a map Barber sent in a text exchange showing different access points to Ottawa, with Barber saying these are the points they wanted to gridlock

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024

Court has resumed for today, with the crown continuing to make their case against Lich and Barber.

The prosecutor is pulling up text exchanges between the two, trying to prove they both were responsible for organizing the convoy

— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024