Convoy organizer Lich in custody until at least Tuesday

OTTAWA -

Ottawa protest organizer Tamara Lich will remain in custody in Ottawa until at least Tuesday after she was arrested in Alberta for allegedly breaching bail conditions.

Lich appeared in an Ottawa court Thursday by video link from the Ottawa police station on the new charge. A full-day bail hearing has been scheduled for next Tuesday.

The Crown alleges that Lich broke a bail condition that prohibited her from communicating with 10 others involved in the Freedom Convoy that occupied Ottawa earlier this year – including Tom Marazzo, a spokesperson at the protests – unless in the presence of her legal counsel.

She was photographed with Marazzo at a “Freedom Award” gala in Toronto on June 16. The Crown claims a video posted on Facebook shows she also sat at Marazzo’s table after she spoke at the event.

“Following Lich receiving her award and returning to her table, Lich can be observed speaking to Tom Marazzo,” according the prosecution summary of the charges that was filed in court Thursday.

“Furthermore during the evening, Lich and Marazzo along with others, posed for a photograph together, with Lich and Marazzo beside each other, arm in arm.”

The Crown materials include a link to a Facebook video that allegedly shows “there is also communication. She appears to whisper something in his ear.”

The award gala was organized by the Edmonton-based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedom, a charity that litigates against COVID-19 mandates.

The defence waived reading of the charge in court so we can’t yet describe the alleged breach of conditions.

— Glen McGregor (@glen_mcgregor) June 30, 2022

JCCF lawyer Keith Wilson has represented Lich and other defendants in civil action over the protest, filed on behalf downtown residents and businesses.

Wilson said on social media that week that Lich wasn’t in breach of her conditions because JCCF lawyers were present at the event when she was photographed with Marazzo, who ran unsuccessfully for the Ontario Party in the provincial election this month.

Lich was first arrested in Ottawa in February. She is jointly charged with another protest organizer, Chris Barber, with mischief, counselling to commit intimidation, obstructing police, and counselling to obstruct police.

Her original bail conditions barred her from travelling to Ontario while she awaits trial but, at her request, the court varied those conditions in May to allow her to attend the gala and travel in the province.

Lich’s conditions also require her not to organize or promote protests related to COVID-19 or the Freedom Convoy.

A summary of documents produced by the Crown also cites Lich’s speech at the gala.

“She indicated that the circumstances she suffered after arrest will not be unique,” the summary says, “if ‘we’ do not ‘stand up with a straight back, heels firmly in place, and unite to uphold our Charter of Rights and Freedoms.’”