Convoy organizer Pat King guilty of intimidation, Appeal Court rules

Pat King, an organizer of the Freedom Convoy, leaves a sentencing hearing for fellow organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber at the courthouse in Ottawa on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA — The Ontario Court of Appeal has ruled that “Freedom Convoy” organizer Pat King is guilty of intimidation and has ordered a new sentencing hearing.

King was charged with a number of offences for his leading role in the February 2022 demonstration that gridlocked much of downtown Ottawa for more than three weeks.

He was convicted of five counts, including mischief, counselling mischief and disobeying a court order, and given a 12-month conditional sentence.

At the same trial, King was acquitted on three counts of intimidation.

The appeal court found the trial judge erred in law and convicted King of one count of intimidation.

In their ruling, the panel of three judges wrote that the convoy was “a co-ordinated, targeted attack on Ottawa residents aimed at coercing change through highly disruptive criminal conduct.”

By Sarah Ritchie

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2026.