*Editors note: This article implies that The Democracy Fund lawyers represent this man. As of July 4, 2022, that is not the case, but Rebel news has been told that the lawyers are trying to get in touch with the man in order to represent him. If anyone knows 'chalk man' please have him reach out to [email protected] to coordinate legal assistance. 

I’m here in Ottawa with a team of five Rebel News reporters, covering the peaceful freedom protests on Canada Day. It’s very exciting — it has the same jubilant feeling as the January trucker convoy. 

One of the peaceful protests took the form of a message, written in chalk, on the street: Free Tamara Lich. As you know, Tamara is the Metis grandma who helped lead that trucker convoy. She is currently being held in prison for the “crime” of posing for a selfie with another trucker activist. (I’m serious — that’s why she’s in jail. That’s the textbook definition of a political prisoner.)

Protestors are painting “Free Tamara” on the roads in cornstarch and chalk. pic.twitter.com/O6rES2UW7w

— The Real Andy Lee Show (@RealAndyLeeShow) July 1, 2022

Police pounced, and fined the man who wrote the chalk message a whopping $1,130!

Well, I guess he should count himself lucky that he wasn’t trampled by an RCMP horse, or shot by police like our reporter Alexa Lavoie was.

But we came prepared for this sort of abusive, punitive, political policing. And I’m pleased to say that The Democracy Fund charity has sent a team of lawyers to Ottawa this weekend to help protect civil liberties in cases just like this.

TDF lawyers, Mark Joseph and Adam Blake-Gallipeau, have been on the streets of downtown Ottawa today speaking with people celebrating Canada Day and acting as Legal Observers/Charter Scrutineers.

TDF is committed to fighting for and preserving Canadians’ Charter Rights. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/11hHkwBy8B

— The Democracy Fund (@TDF_Can) July 1, 2022

Seriously: a $1,130 fine for chalk on the road? The sort of thing children do, and is washed away by the rain?

This would be a joke if it weren’t indicative of something so deadly serious: the criminalization of peaceful protest in this country.

Trudeau is politicizing Canadian police and weaponizing them against his critics. The reason The Democracy Fund wants to fight this case is that we have to get these abusive, political fines thrown out of court and, where possible, deemed unconstitutional. It’s the chalk man today — it’s you and me tomorrow.

If you want to support The Democracy Fund, you can make a charitable donation on this page.