Criminal trial against organizers of the “Freedom Convoy” nears its end

OTTAWA — The criminal trial of Freedom Convoy organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber is expected to enter its sixth day of closing arguments.

The two are jointly charged with mischief, intimidation and incitement to commit a crime for their involvement in organizing the mass protests that filled the streets of downtown Ottawa for weeks in 2022.

Even though the charges seem clear, the trial was anything but.

Originally scheduled to last only 16 days, the court was bogged down by the complexity of the legal arguments, the enormous amount of evidence and delays in disclosure, causing the proceedings to drag on for almost a year.

Prosecutors argued that Lich and Barber influenced the crowd to commit illegal acts in order to pressure the government to lift COVID-19 restrictions and vaccination requirements.

Lich's legal team is expected to complete its final submissions today before the Crown has a final opportunity to respond.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 23, 2024.

The Canadian Press