Canada Freedom Convoy leaders found guilty of mischief

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpwz5d5d8l7o

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Chris Barber, on the left, and Tamara Lich, centre, were key players in the 2022 convoy protests in Canada's capital.

Two leaders behind the "Freedom Convoy" protest that caused Canada's capital to descend into gridlock for weeks in 2022 have been found guilty of mischief but cleared of most other charges against them, Canadian media report.

Tamara Lich and Chris Barber faced six charges, including mischief, obstructing police, and intimidation.

Their lengthy criminal trial was heard over 45 days over a course of the year. Both had pleaded not guilty.

The two were part of a group that led a convoy of lorries to Ottawa to protest against Covid-19 measures and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.

The verdict was delivered on Thursday in an Ottawa courtroom.

Both were found guilty of counselling others to commit mischief and committing mischief, but that last finding was stayed after a request by Crown attorneys, CBC reported.

Barber was additionally found guilty of counselling others to disobey a court order.

Their sentencing will be at a later date.

Over the course of the trial, the Crown had argued that the pair held prominent and leading roles in the protests - both had large social media presence and appeared at convoy press events - and that many protesters took their cues from them.

Defence lawyers argued their clients sometimes assisted police in controlling the protests and never encouraged any unlawful behaviour.

The February 2022 protests were initially sparked by a federal vaccine mandate for lorry drivers crossing the US-Canada border.

Convoys of some 400 heavy trucks and other vehicles descended on Ottawa, Canada's capital, and blockaded city streets around parliament for three weeks.

City officials deemed it an "occupation".

Separate protests also blocked a key US-Canada border crossing near Detroit, and in the provinces of Alberta and Manitoba.

The protests received international attention and inspired similar copycat demonstrations abroad.

They came to an end after Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act - the first time the Canadian law has been used - which allowed police to clear the streets and the government to impose bans on public assembly and other measures.

In February, Pat King, another of the central organisers of the protest, received three months house arrest after being found guilty on five counts, including one count each of mischief, counselling others to commit mischief and counselling others to obstruct police.

The Crown, which had asked for 10 years behind bars, is appealing that sentence.