Judge will hear conspiracy argument in trial of Freedom Convoy organizers

Tamara Lich arrives to the Ottawa Courthouse in Ottawa on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)

OTTAWA -

An Ontario court judge says she will entertain arguments that Freedom Convoy organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber acted as co-conspirators as part of their criminal trial.

The Crown intends to prove the two conspired together in lockstep to organize an illegal protest, and that evidence against one of them should apply to both.

Lich and Barber's lawyers asked Justice Heather Perkins-McVey to dismiss the idea out of hand, arguing there was no evidence the two conspired together for an illegal purpose.

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The two organizers face charges of mischief, intimidation and several charges related to counselling others to break the law in connection with their role in the Ottawa demonstration in early 2022.

Perkins-McVey says there is enough circumstantial evidence to support hearing the Crown's argument at the end of the trial.

The trial began in September and was originally scheduled to finish on Oct. 13, but it is now anticipated to continue well into 2024.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2024.

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