LIVE UPDATES: Trial for three alleged leaders of Coutts blockade continues in Lethbridge
Each of the men are facing up to 10 years in prison for their involvement in the peaceful anti-mandate demonstration.
The trial for three alleged organizers of the 2022 Coutts border blockade continues today in Lethbridge, Alberta. Recent proceedings have focused on the testimony of Mark Wielgosz, a veteran RCMP officer who acted as a liaison between police and the protesters.
The three men — Alex Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos, and George Janzen — are each being charged with mischief over $5000 and facing up to 10 years in prison for allegedly being leaders of the protest.
The Coutts blockade was an 18-day peaceful demonstration against government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions held at the border of Coutts, Alberta and Sweet Grass, Montana in early 2022.
Halting millions of dollars in trade and occurring concurrently with the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, the protest proved to be one of the most impactful Canada has seen in decades.
Rebel News reporter Robert Kraychik is on the ground at the Lethbridge courthouse, providing independent reporting on the trial of the Coutts Three.
Follow along below for live updates from the trial:
I wonder if these differences were deliberately created by the RCMP as part of a sort of "good cop, bad cop" liaising strategy; Wielgosz worked in plainclothes and Tulloch in full RCMP uniform, including body armor. https://t.co/6s1Dl8EW4Q https://t.co/mIhJKvGq4E
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 9, 2024
"Like night and day" is how people who participated in the Coutts protest described the differences in their dealings with RCMP officers Mark Wielgosz and Greg Tulloch; the former being congenial and the latter being stiffer and more aggressive. https://t.co/KGVQVALjFW
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 9, 2024
"It appeared that we we had someone we could speak to who would represent the group," Tulloch testifies, identifying George Janzen as the man he could liaise w/for the RCMP. One of the Crown's key claims is that the Coutts Three were the protest's leaders. https://t.co/KGVQVALjFW
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 9, 2024
Tulloch testifies that when he had his first shift at the Coutts protest, February 1, 2022, traffic on the AB-4 Highway was not at all moving as it normally would. https://t.co/mIhJKvGq4E
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 9, 2024
RCMP officer Greg Tulloch is the Crown's next witness. He operated in the same capacity as Mark Wielgosz, a liaison between the RCMP and Coutts protesters. He worked alternating four-to-five day shifts in this role, on days Wielgosz was away from Coutts. https://t.co/KGVQVALjFW
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 9, 2024
RCMP officer Mark Wielgosz testifies that he repeatedly advised the defendants that the Coutts protest was unlawful by having vehicles stopped on a public highway, and that he offered an alternate site to transition the protest towards being lawful. https://t.co/mIhJKvGq4E
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 9, 2024
RCMP officer Mark Wielgosz continues his testimony, remarks on decentralized nature of the Coutts protest, and disagreement between protesters on how to proceed. https://t.co/KGVQVALjFW pic.twitter.com/FM6aTdCc6i
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 9, 2024
Mark Wielgosz testifies that it was always his intention to "transition" the Coutts demonstration "to a lawful protest". He stated that blocking a public roadway, even if keeping a lane open, is unlawful. Proceedings are on break until 1:30 PM MT. https://t.co/mIhJKvGq4E
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 9, 2024
"A colour of right is a defence to certain property-related offences. It is an honest belief on the part of the accused that they had a right to possess certain property, despite that there was no true basis for the belief in fact or law." https://t.co/rbrR80h1iC
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 9, 2024
RCMP officer Mark Wielgosz testifies that it appeared to him that the Coutts Three defendants believed their demonstration/protest was lawful while being cross-examined by Ryan Durran, Marco Van Huigenbos's defense attorney. https://t.co/KGVQVALjFW
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 9, 2024
Rebel News's role in the Coutts Three trial is interesting. Essentially all videos entered as exhibits or evidence in the trial were recorded by Rebel News, and now Chad Williamson's appearance on a video advising demonstrators is an issue of contention. https://t.co/mIhJKvGq4E
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 9, 2024
In a video from the Coutts protest played by Alan Honner, George Janzen's defense lawyer, lawyer Chad Williamson (who was essentially providing legal guidance to the protesters), implores people not to "engage in unlawful behavior" and to remain "safe". https://t.co/KGVQVALjFW
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 9, 2024
Coutts Three trial resumes, RCMP officer Mark Wielgosz, who worked as a liaison between the RCMP and the demonstrators, will continue. Also, check out defense counsel Michael Johnston's (representing Alex Van Herk) epic business card. https://t.co/KGVQVALjFW pic.twitter.com/QmyjilLMQh
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 9, 2024
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