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.
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
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
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.’
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
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…
INSANE REACH. The prosecutor quotes Tamara saying ‘we make choices from love, and we make choices from fear.’
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
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…
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.’
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
If anything, the prosecutor is making Tamara look good.
The crown is now quoting Tamara saying ‘we are all one big family now’ as evidence against her.
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
Imagine having such a peaceful, loving statement used against you in court. Welcome to Canada!
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.
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
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…
Tamara steps out of court for lunch, thanking her supporters 🙏🇨🇦
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
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
Crown says Tamara and Lich telling others to come to Ottawa is encouragement and ‘abetting.’
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
Judge: And with that, it’s time for lunch.
Lich referring to the convoy as ‘Canada day on steroids’ in a TikTok video is presented by the crown as evidence against her.
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
Lol, i don’t get it.
Judge gets agreement from counsel that a lengthy transcript can be the crown’s last piece of evidence. Everyone laughs.
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
All sides agree– this has been going on for far too long!
This prosecutor keeps bringing up ‘but the context!’ every time he presents the most meaningless, irrelevant ‘evidence.’
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
I’m getting major Kamala Harris vibes from this guy pic.twitter.com/B6choX4f2u
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.
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
I was trying not to laugh– this is really the best they got? (I bet the prosecutor regrets taking this…
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?’
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
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’
Prosecutor says the convoy was ‘interference with sleep, work, and health’ as well as interference from others wearing masks via heckling
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
(Funny, i remember two years of life where i was heckled for NOT wearing masks)
Prosecutor quotes Barber: ‘I’ve [I’m] a bit overwhelmed, Ottawa city police are playing games, cutting food, fuel and lodging off’
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
Judge says the text wasn’t to Lich, it’s not relevant
The prosecutor quotes convoy leaders saying ‘we don’t want this to turn into a January 6’
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
He agreed with the judge that there’s no evidence Barber and Lich promoted any violence
The prosecutor says that the freedom convoy was anything BUT ‘peaceful, lawful, and safe’
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
Judge pushes back, saying that there’s been many instances of Tamara and Barber calling for people to be peaceful
Prosecutor: ‘peaceful is ambiguous’
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.
— Sarah Stock✝️ (@sarahcstock) August 14, 2024
The prosecutor is pulling up text exchanges between the two, trying to prove they both were responsible for organizing the convoy
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