Tamara Lich walks with her lawyer Lawrence Greenspon as they make their way to the courthouse on Sept. 13, in Ottawa.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
A video in which Tamara Lich is called president of the Ottawa truck convoy was played in court Wednesday as part of a series of recordings the Crown hopes will be entered into evidence in her joint criminal trial with commercial big rig driver Chris Barber.
The video from Feb. 9, 2022, featured Ms. Lich and other parties, including convoy lawyer Keith Wilson and demonstration spokesperson Benjamin Dichter.
In it, Ms. Lich introduces herself as an “organizer,” to which Mr. Dichter said that Ms. Lich is being modest and added she was the “president.”
The video was collected off the Freedom Convoy Facebook page by Ottawa Police Sergeant Joanne Pilotte, a Crown witness in the trial. It has not been entered into evidence as it is part of what’s known as a voir dire – a trial within a trial – to determine its admissibility.
Ms. Lich and Mr. Barber were both key organizers of the convoy, which saw vehicles parked on downtown Ottawa streets for more than three weeks in early 2022. They both face charges of obstruction of police, mischief and intimidation as well as counselling for each of those three offences.
Additionally, Mr. Barber faces a charge of counselling others to disobey a court order.
Lich, Barber trial sees Facebook videos from Ottawa truck convoy featuring ‘hold the line’ slogan
Prosecutor Tim Radcliffe told Justice Heather Perkins-McVey on Wednesday that the Crown will ask court to examine what was posted to the Freedom Convoy 2022 Facebook page. He also said he will ask court to look at what was not posted on the site, such as the words “go home.”
After demonstrators had become entrenched in downtown Ottawa, officers called on them to vacate streets prior to a massive police takedown and removal.
Mr. Radcliffe told court that statements on the Freedom Convoy 2022 site do not exist in a vacuum, adding the context is critical for the judge to consider.
Throughout Ms. Lich’s and Mr. Barber’s trial, the Crown intends to argue the two exercised control and influence over the placement of vehicles in downtown Ottawa, beginning in January, 2022. Prosecutors also plan to try to show court how they worked in tandem with one another.
The Crown also intends to make the case that protesters did “hold the line” for weeks as directed by the two organizers, who “crossed the line” and “committed multiple crimes.”
Court also saw videos from Mr. Barber’s TikTok account presented on cross-examination of Sgt. Pilotte by Marwa Younes, a member of the defence team for Mr. Barber.
One of the videos played was recorded on Jan. 20, 2022. In it, he calls for the demonstration to be peaceful and for vaccination mandates to be removed. Mr. Barber also said that truckers will not leave until such a time that the mandates are done away with.
Another recording from Mr. Barber’s account played in court was recorded on Jan. 27, 2022. The video references comments made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a day earlier.
The Prime Minister said a “fringe minority” were on its way to Ottawa who held “unacceptable views” and did not represent the views of Canadians. Mr. Trudeau’s comments generated considerable backlash among supporters of the convoy.
While the videos played in court, Mr. Barber could be seen looking up at the screen and also reading on his cellphone.
Another video featured Mr. Barber from Feb. 1, 2022. In it, he calls for protesters to remain peaceful and says the last thing needed is for people to proceed down a similar path to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection on Capitol Hill.