The trial for three alleged organizers of the 2022 Coutts border blockade begins today in Lethbridge, Alberta.
Alex Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos, and George Janzen are each facing up to 10 years in prison for their roles in the peaceful demonstration. Each of the men are being charged with mischief over $5000 for their involvement in the protest.
The Coutts blockade was an 18-day peaceful demonstration against government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions held at the border of Coutts, Alberta and Sweet Grass, Montana in early 2022.
Halting millions of dollars in trade and occurring concurrently with the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, the protest proved to be one of the most effective Canada has seen in decades.
Rebel News CEO Ezra Levant and reporter Robert Kraychik are on the ground at the Lethbridge courthouse, providing independent reporting on the trials of three of the men charged by the RCMP at the Coutts blockade.
Lethbridge, AB; Coutts Trio trial jury selection slated to begin, demonstrators organize outside the courthouse in support of @marco_huigenbos, @alexvanherk, and George Janzen, described by the Crown as the leadership of the 2022 Coutts Blockade. pic.twitter.com/bNeDUL4FcK
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 2, 2024
Follow along below:
While we’re waiting for the next juror, the scene:
1. One judge.
2. Five clerks.
3. Three defendants.
4. Three prosecutors.
5. Four defence lawyers.
6. Two cops.
For a mischief trial.
— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) April 2, 2024
Judge: “did Covid have an impact on you?” Answer: no.
Do you hold a strong opinion about the “Coutts border blockade” — juror says no.
(My question: is using the word “blockade” in itself partisan?)
— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) April 2, 2024
The next juror walks in. 40 year old man. Each of the jurors walks to the central podium, because they don’t know where to go. The judge asks each of them if they want to address him — they don’t, they just don’t know where to go. So they rearrange them.
— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) April 2, 2024
The next prospective juror is an approx. 65-year-old man. (He is being sworn in on a Bible.)
“Did Covid-19 have an effect on you?” That’s a pointless question, isn’t it? It had an effect on all of us — the disease, perhaps, but more likely the lockdowns. Who would say no?
— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) April 2, 2024
These juror candidates have previously interacted with the lawyers; this is the judge’s turn to ask them questions. The judge is Justice Keith Yamauchi.
— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) April 2, 2024
The first juror was a man, approx. 45 years old. The second juror is a woman, approx. 40 years old. She’s being sworn in for her questioning by the judge.
— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) April 2, 2024
The jury selection is underway. The first juror has presented to the judge, who asked him a series of questions that (I understand) was agreed to by prosecutors and defence counsel. The first juror is approved.
— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) April 2, 2024
The three men — Marco Van Huigenbos, Alex Van Herk and George Janzen — are on trial for mischief. They have chosen a trial by jury. I think it’s a good choice — the common sense of ordinary people is likely more friendly to freedom than an elite, establishment judge.
— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) April 2, 2024
I’m in Lethbridge for the long-awaited trial of the Coutts Three, who prosecutors call the “leadership group” of the peaceful protest at the border in 2022. You can follow our journalism at https://t.co/pitNs83Saw and chip in to the legal defence at https://t.co/8wyWeAUJ6m.
— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) April 2, 2024
