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Emergencies Act Investigation: Protest organizers prepare to testify

OTTAWA –

It was a scene of chaos and confusion in the upper echelons of the police and local government as a convoy of large oil rigs and protesters arrived in Ottawa to demand an end to pandemic restrictions. last winter.

That’s the picture that witnesses painted during the first few weeks of hearings at the Public Order Emergency Committee, which is investigating the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act in February to end the call. Protests lasted for weeks.

The inquest also heard about the plight of downtown residents, who recounted their anguish as lawlessness and round-the-clock wailing of truck horns took over their communities, and businesses were forced to close.

But so far, the investigation has not received a response from the protesters themselves.

Expected to appear this week are witnesses that can shed light on the notion of the “Liberty Convoy” movement, which by all accounts appears to have been started by two accounts so far. truck driver and a TikTok video and how it escalated over time.

Several protest organizers on the witness list face criminal charges in connection with their participation in the protest, including Tamara Lich and Pat King.

Keith Wilson, an attorney representing several key motorcade organizers, said before the investigation that his clients were eager to talk about what was happening and why they came to Ottawa in the first place. head.

“They hope it will become clear, as many already know, that it is not necessary to invoke the Emergencies Act,” he said.

Wilson has since been personally added to the list of witnesses.

Protesters began arriving in Ottawa on January 28 to express their anger and protest against the federal government and COVID-19 restrictions, including vaccine regulation.

The protest quickly evolved into what police considered “occupation”, as protesters blocked traffic and set up camp in the city streets. They blew whistles, shouted “freedom” cries, and refused to leave until their demands were met.

Protesters have inspired similar protests elsewhere in the country, including a six-day blockade of the Canada-U.S. border on the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont.

On February 14, the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act to give police new powers, blockade parts of the city and force tow companies to move. Powers were also granted to banks and other financial services firms to freeze protest organizers’ funds.

By February 18, a major police operation was underway to clear protesters off the streets of Ottawa.

Testimony from the point of view of the convoy is expected to begin with two of the first organizers involved in planning the protest: Chris Barber and Brigitte Belton.

Barber has been charged, along with Tamara Lich, with the crime of mischief, obstructing the police, and advising others to commit mischief and intimidation because of his actions during the protest.


This report by the Canadian Press was first published on October 30, 2022.



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