The criminal trial of two "Freedom Convoy" organizers resumed today after a two-week break with testimony from an Ottawa Police Service liaison officer. Chris Barber arrives to the Ottawa Courthouse in Ottawa on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA – The criminal trial of two “Freedom Convoy” organizers resumed today after a two-week break with testimony from an Ottawa Police Service liaison officer.
Const. Nicole Bach, the primary police contact for organizer Chris Barber during the three-week demonstration that gridlocked downtown Ottawa early last year, is set to be cross-examined today.
Bach’s testimony was paused in October as defence lawyers argued for access to redacted police communications, including emails, police logs and transcripts of chats during the convoy.
The judge in the trial decided that some of the information should be admitted as evidence in the trial.
Bach testified earlier that Barber told her things were getting “out of control” in the early days of the protest, and that he conveyed protesters would only leave Ottawa if the prime minister were to recognize them and lift all pandemic-related mandates.
Barber and Tamara Lich face multiple charges, including mischief, counselling others to commit mischief and intimidation for their role in the 2022 protests against COVID-19 public-health measures.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2023.
