GD's Political Animal: protests

Showing posts with label protests. Show all posts

Friday, July 25, 2025

Double standard in Lich-Barber prosecution

"The selective prosecution (or non-prosecution) of offences committed by protesters, based on the protesters’ political views rather than on their behaviour, is a serious affront to the rule of law."

The Glaring Double Standard in the Prosecution of Lich and Barber | Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms | John Carpay:

July 24, 2025 - "If Chris Barber and Tamara Lich had organized a series of massive rallies in Ottawa to protest the federal government’s failure to control the earth’s climate, would they have been criminally charged with mischief and held responsible for clogging up Ottawa’s downtown core?... If the rude anti-Trudeau flags displayed by some truckers had instead been rainbow flags, or Hamas flags, would the federal government have declared a national emergency, and used violence against peaceful protesters? And would Crown prosecutors now be asking for an eight-year jail sentence for Barber and seven for Lich?

"Sadly, these are questions that must be asked in light of what appears to be a glaring double standard that sees crimes in Canada being prosecuted — or ignored — depending on the politics of the protesters.

"In July 2021, 'protesters' tore down and damaged a large statue of Queen Victoria on the [Manitoba] Legislature grounds, in broad daylight, with police watching.... In February 2022, Manitoba Justice announced that, while property destruction was a crime and not a valid exercise of freedom of expression, none of the criminals would be prosecuted!... In March 2020, protesters blockaded railroads across Canada in the name of stopping oil and gas development.... Prime Minister Trudeau offered to meet with them, and police did little.... Less than two years later, thousands of Canadians, including many truckers, assembled peacefully in Ottawa to protest vaccine mandates. The prime minister refused to meet with them, declared a 'national emergency,' and then the protesters were met by the force of armed police and had their bank accounts frozen.

"On May 11, 2020, lone protester Cody Haller was arrested, dragged out of the Alberta legislature grounds, and given a $1,200 dollar ticket. The 'rule of law' was apparently very important when people protested against the violation of their Charter freedoms: complete and total obedience to health orders was expected.... A few weeks later, neither police nor Crown prosecutors objected to anti-racism protests across Canada that were clearly in violation of public health orders. In Regina, the chief of police spoke at one of these clearly illegal rallies....

Chris Barber and Tamara Lich. CBC photos.

"Crown prosecutors in Ottawa are now seeking jail sentences for Barber and Lich that are too rarely imposed on people convicted of serious crimes. The Crown also seeks to confiscate Barber’s truck, affectionately known as Big Red, even though Barber had followed instructions from Ottawa police about where to park Big Red, and later moved Big Red after police requested him to do so. The Crown does not dispute that the Freedom Convoy, in which thousands of people participated over the course of three weeks, was devoid of the violence, vandalism, arson, threats, and other criminal conduct that frequently characterize other protests....

"When convicting Lich and Barber of criminal mischief, the judge noted that 'Ms. Lich and Mr. Barber consistently said this was to be a peaceful protest. There are no messages, Tik Tok or otherwise, where they used violence or threats of same. They did not incite or aid supporters in engaging in intimidating, aggressive or threatening behaviors by their mischief or blocking roads. They were not trying to intimidate the downtown residents....There are no words spoken where they suggested to make it difficult for police to do their lawful duties. The actions of the Accused on their respective arrests were consistent with what they told their followers; their actions led by example'....

"Lich has already spent 49 days in jail. Both Lich and Barber have been subjected to more than three years of criminal proceedings, while Crown prosecutors in Ontario claim that they lack adequate resources to prosecute murders and other serious crimes.

"The double standard in law enforcement in Canada is glaring. If the judge imposes any jail time on Lich, Barber, or both, it will bring the administration of justice into grave disrepute in the minds of millions of Canadians, and further tear our social fabric."

A personal message from John Carpay as we await Chris Barber’s sentencing | Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms | July 23, 2025:

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Hillier ruling strengthens Charter right of assembly

In this year's case of Hillier v. Ontario, for the first time ever, a Canadian court has invoked the Charter right of peaceful assembly to overturn a law as unconstitutional.

Hillier at 2021 anti-lockdown protest, Niagara Falls, Ont, Photo: Beth Baisch, Dreamstime

Ontario court ruling in Hillier case a positive sign for Charter freedoms | Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms | John Carpay:

April 10, 2025 - "Since lockdowns were imposed in March 2020, governments across Canada have admitted in numerous court challenges that provincial and federal health orders did violate one or more of the Charter freedoms of conscience, religion, expression, peaceful assembly, association, and mobility. In like manner, governments have admitted that vaccine mandates violated the Charter right to bodily autonomy. Canadian courts have consistently upheld these Charter violations as being reasonable and justified in a free and democratic society — until the Ontario Court of Appeal delivered its judgment in Hillier v. Ontario on April 7.

"Randy Hillier, a former Member of Ontario’s Provincial Parliament, challenged Ontario’s total and absolute ban on all outdoor protests, which the government imposed on citizens in April and May of 2021. While up to 10 people could gather for a wedding or funeral, or for a religious service or ceremony, it was illegal for two people to meet outdoors for a peaceful protest!

"Mr. Hillier faced charges and fines up to $100,000 for organizing peaceful political protests in Kemptville and Cornwall, and for attending protests in Smiths Falls, Belleville, Peterborough, Stratford, Kitchener, and Chatham throughout April and May 2021. His defence to these charges was that Ontario unjustifiably restricted his Charter freedom of peaceful assembly. In court, Ontario presented no evidence that its total ban on outdoor protests, including those in which Mr. Hillier participated, would reduce the spread of Covid.

"Overturning the November 2023 lower court ruling, Court of Appeal Justices Lauwers, Zarnett, and Pomerance ruled unanimously that Ontario’s absolute ban on peaceful assembly in 2021, particularly outdoor political protests, was an unjustified violation of the freedom of peaceful assembly as protected by Section 2(c) of the Charter.... The court declared that it could not countenance 'an outcome in which the state eliminates the free exercise of a fundamental freedom, without giving that elimination any actual thought'.... While stating that 'the pandemic posed significant challenges for Ontario,' the court declared that 'the Constitution does not fade from view in times of crisis.'

"For the first time in Canadian judicial history, an appellate court has outlined the nature, purpose, and benefits of the Charter section 2(c) freedom of peaceful assembly, declaring it 'elemental' and 'integral to a functioning democracy.' Previously, peaceful assembly has been ignored and subsumed into the other Charter section 2 freedoms.... Peaceful assembly differs from the other fundamental freedoms because 'a demonstration is an act of solidarity, a coming together of similarly minded individuals,' who can 'make visible the extent and depth of support for a position,' the ruling said.

"The freedom of peaceful assembly protects the ability of citizens to get the community to pay attention to their message of protest or dissent, and entice others to become involved in redressing grievances. The court noted that 'outdoor protests are especially effective at amplifying minority voices and expressing political dissent.' Ontario’s total ban on peaceful protests denied citizens of their 'opportunity to influence public policy by this time-honoured method.' Significantly, the court ruled that social media and virtual gatherings ... cannot replace the 'traditional means of participating in public assemblies'.....

"Governments across Canada have been put on notice that they cannot ban peaceful political gatherings. Freedom-loving Canadians can be encouraged that the Ontario Court of Appeal has elevated a previously 'forgotten freedom' to overturn a Covid-era ban on the exercise of that same Charter freedom. Could protection of Charter freedoms in Canada be making a comeback?"

The bridge to Freedom is never too far. Hillier Wins-Government loses! | Randy Hillier | April 7, 2025:

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Canadian far-left activist arrested and denied bail

Deana Sherif, a serial protester for far-left causes in Canada with a history of violent and harassing behavior, has finally been arrested and charged (and denied bail) after she allegedly assaulted a police officer making an arrest.

Canadian anti-Israel activist charged for assault during Ottawa protest | Jerusalem Post | Michael Starr:

April 29, 2024 - "An Ottawa anti-Israel activist was arrested and charged with assault and hate-motivated harassment during an April 15 protest in the Canadian capital, local law enforcement announced on Saturday. Deana Sherif, 47, is alleged to have assaulted a person with a 'handheld sound amplifier' after the victim had walked near an anti-Israel demonstration and argued with her. Sherif used the device at a different location later in the day against another victim. Sherif allegedly verbally abused both victims, shouting 'hateful messages' at her target at the later event.

"In addition to charges for intimidation by disorderly following, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, and two charges for assault with a weapon and hate-motivated harassment by threatening conduct, Sherif allegedly assaulted a police officer to prevent them from arrest. 'While police were attempting to effect a lawful arrest, the individual inserted herself into the situation, and in doing so, physically assaulted one of the officers,' said The Ottawa Police Service Hate and Bias Crime Unit and Central Criminal Investigation Section.

"Journalist Chris Dacey, who shared on X on Saturday that he has documented Sherif acting violently at such protests, said, 'It's well past time she faces consequences for her actions.'"

Deana Sherif. Courtesy Caryma Sa'd / X / Western Standard.

Canadian social justice activist denied bail for assault, obstruction charges | Western Standard | Jonathan Bradley:

April 29, 2024 - "Canadian social justice activist Deana Sherif will be facing accountability for aggressive actions after years of bothering conservatives. Sherif had been denied bail at a Sunday court appearance after being charged with offences such as assaulting a police officer, obstructing a peace officer, and assault with a weapon. The judge had imposed a publication ban to cover the reasons for the decision....

"Sherif had been brought before a virtual court for bail proceedings. About 120 people attended the court hearing. No one was allowed to record it....

"Sherif acts as a perpetual protestor, who attends demonstrations for various causes across Ontario. She has a history of violent and harassing behaviour, with limited police intervention to protect people. It is alleged she assaulted a police officer with the intent to prevent an arrest at an Ottawa protest on April 15 among other serious charges....

"While the ruling had been pushed off, the court appearance ended because of the abrupt display of pornography from an unknown participant."

Saturday, May 4, 2024

Violence at May 1 anti-capitalist Montreal protest

The annual May Day march in Montreal turned violent, with demonstrators smashing the windows of businesses, setting off smoke bombs, and fighting with police.

Mayor, MPs Condemn Violent May Day Demonstration in Montreal | Epoch Times | Chandra Philip:

May 2, 2024 - "Local and federal politicians are condemning the actions of protestors after the annual May Day march in Montreal turned violent, with demonstrators smashing windows of businesses and setting off smoke bombs. Thousands of people turned out to the International Workers Day or May Day march at Francois-Perrault Park near the Saint-Michel metro station on May 1, according to reports. The event was organized by a coalition of unions and community organizations under the umbrella group May 1 Montreal Coalition.

"Videos circulating on social media show protestors in black masks and hoods smashing windows and throwing parking cones and other items. Montreal police said officers had to step in to disperse the crowd. 'Due to several offenses committed during [demonstrations], we are carrying out a dispersal operation in the Sherbrooke/Robert-Bourassa sector. People must leave the premises immediately,' police said in a post on X.

"Smoke bombs, parking cones, trash cans, and signs were thrown about by demonstrators, according to a TVA reporter, who also said officers were attacked and pepper spray was used.

"The Epoch Times contacted the May 1 Montreal Coalition and Montreal police for comment but did not hear back by publication time.

"Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante condemned the protesters’ behaviour in a post on social media. 'These actions are absolutely unacceptable,' she said in a May 2 post on social media. 'I denounce the mayhem suffered by downtown merchants last night during the anti-capitalist demonstration'....

"This year’s theme for the protest event was ‘united to make our voices heard,’ according to a press release from the coalition. The release said there were concerns that needed to be handled collectively, including climate change, working conditions of temporary foreign workers, 'antidemocratic abuses' by Quebec Premier François Legault, and an out-of-touch government."

Montreal annual may day protest 2024 | Montreal’s interesthings | May 4, 2024:

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Foundations funding anti-Israel college protests

George Soros is paying student radicals who are fueling nationwide explosion of Israel-hating protests | New York Post | Isabel Vincent

April 26, 2024 - "George Soros and his hard-left acolytes are paying agitators who are fueling the explosion of radical anti-Israel protests at colleges across the country. The protests, which began when students took over Columbia University’s Morningside Heights campus lawn last week, have mushroomed nationwide. Copycat tent cities have been set up at colleges including Harvard, Yale, Berkeley in California, the Ohio State University and Emory in Georgia — all of them organized by branches of the Soros-funded Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).... The SJP parent organization has been funded by a network of nonprofits ultimately funded by, among others, Soros, the billionaire left-wing investor.

"At three colleges, the protests are being encouraged by paid radicals who are 'fellows' of a Soros-funded group called the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR). USCPR provides up to $7,800 for its community-based fellows and between $2,880 and $3,660 for its campus-based 'fellows' in return for spending eight hours a week organizing 'campaigns led by Palestinian organizations.' They are trained to 'rise up, to revolution.' The radical group received at least $300,000 from Soros’ Open Society Foundations since 2017 and also took in $355,000 from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund since 2019.... [USCPR] has three 'fellows' who have been major figures in the nationwide protest movement.

Nidaa Lafi, a former president of the University of Texas Students for Justice in Palestine, was seen at an encampment at UT Dallas Wednesday making a speech demanding an end to the war in Gaza. In January, she was detained for blocking the route of President Biden’s motorcade after he arrived in Dallas for the funeral of Johnson, her former boss.
At Yale, USCPR’s fellow Craig Birckhead-Morton was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree trespassing when SJP’s branch, Yalies4Palestine, occupied the school’s Beinecke Plaza, the Yale Daily News reported. Birckhead-Morton — also a former intern for a Democrat, Maryland rep John Sarbanes — emerged from custody to address a sit-in blocking traffic in New Haven.
The most high-profile of the fellows is Berkeley’s Malak Afaneh, co-president of the Berkeley Law Students for Justice in Palestine. She has been a serial speaker at an anti-Israel protest on the campus this week — which came after she first shot to prominence by hijacking a dinner at the law school dean’s home to shout anti-Israel slogans, then accused the dean’s wife of assaulting her when she asked the radical to leave.

Soros is paying agitators fueling the explosion of radical anti-Israel protests at colleges across the country. New York Post.

"The cash from Soros and his acolytes has been critical to the Columbia protests that set off the national copycat demonstrations. Three groups set up the tent city on Columbia’s lawn last Wednesday: Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and Within Our Lifetime. An analysis by The Post shows that all three got cash from groups linked to Soros. The Rockefeller Brothers Fund also gave cash to JVP.... And a former Wall Street banker, Felice Gelman, a retired investment banker who has dedicated her Wall Street fortune to pro-Palestinian causes, funded all three groups.

"Both SJP and JVP were expelled from Columbia University in November for 'threatening rhetoric and intimidation.' JVP blamed Israel for the Oct 7 Hamas terrorist attack that left 1,200 Israelis dead. 'Israeli apartheid and occupation — and United States complicity in that oppression — are the source of all this violence,' JVP said in a statement on its website. SJP called the terrorist strike on Israel 'a historic win.'

"An analysis by The Post shows how Soros and Gelman’s cash made its way to the students through a network of nonprofits that help obscure their contributions. Soros has given billions to the Open Society Foundations which his son Alexander ... now controls. In turn, Open Society has given more than $20 million to the Tides Foundation, a progressive nonprofit 'fiscal sponsor' that then sends the cash to smaller groups. Those groups include A Jewish Voice for Peace [JVP], which between 2017 and 2022 has received $650,000 from Soros’ Open Society.... JVP has been a prominent part of the protests at Columbia and one of its student members was among a group expelled from the university for inviting the leader of a proscribed terrorist group, Khaled, to the 'Resistance 101' Zoom meeting.

"Soros has also donated $132,000 to WESPAC, called in full the Westchester People’s Action Coalition Foundation. The White Plains-based nonprofit was founded in 1974 to rally for civil rights and against the Vietnam War but is now a major funder of anti-Israel groups, including Within Our Lifetime and Students for Justice in Palestine. SJP has also received funding from the Sparkplug Foundation, a New York-based nonprofit run by Gelman and her husband, Yoram Gelman. The couple funneled their $20,000 donation to the group through WESPAC in 2022, according to public filings. Gelman was previously on WESPAC’s committee for Justice and Peace in the Middle East in 2009 when she was invited to Gaza by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, according to the group’s website. The UN group has been slammed for its support of Hamas.

"WESPAC president Howard Horowitz, a former Orthodox Jew, is a member of the New York chapter of JVP, which says it works for 'advocacy and public education for Palestinian human rights.' Horowitz said he embraced the Palestinian cause after time spent living in Israel, according to a report in the Israel Times. WESPAC has also given money to Within Our Lifetime, founded by the ubiquitous anti-Israeli protester Nerdeen Kiswani. Within our Lifetime uses a loophole in the law to avoid declaring how much it receives from donors by not being a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, meaning it is unknown how Kiswani has benefited. However, WESPAC is named as a fiscal sponsor of Within Our Lifetime.

"After The Post published our story, an Open Society Foundations spokesperson said: 'For the record, Open Society Foundations has a long history of fighting antisemitism, islamophobia and all forms of racism and hate. Open Society has funded a broad spectrum of US groups that have advocated for the rights of Palestinians and Israelis and for peaceful resolution to the conflict in Israel and the OPT. This funding is a matter of public record, disclosed on our website, fully compliant with US laws, and is part of our commitment to continuing open debate that is ultimately the only hope for peace in the region'.... None of the other groups responded to requests by The Post for comment."

George Soros is paying student radicals, fueling nationwide explosion of Israel-hating protests | New York Post | April 26, 2024:

Monday, April 22, 2024

Student stabbed in eye with flagpole at Yale

Jewish Yale student journalist stabbed in the eye with Palestinian flag during protest | New York Post | Ronny Reyes:

April 21, 2024 - "A Jewish Yale University student journalist reporting on an anti-Israeli protest at the Ivy League school Saturday night was stabbed in the eye with a Palestinian flag – while her assailant has gone unpunished.

"Sahar Tartak, the editor-in-chief of the Yale Free Press, was covering the protest – which saw hundreds of students camping at the campus in support of Palestinians – when she was suddenly surrounded by demonstrators. Tartak said she and a friend were singled out for wearing Hasidic Jewish attire as the crowd formed a blockade around them to interfere with their filming.

“'There’s hundreds of people taunting me and waving the middle finger at me, and then this person waves a Palestinian flag in my face and jabs it in my eye,' Tartak told The Post. 'When I tried to yell and go after him, the protesters got in a line and stopped me,' she added.

"Tartak, who was shopping for an eyepatch when speaking with The Post, said she tried to report the assault to campus police but that they told her there was nothing they could do. Instead, she just got an ambulance ride to the hospital to get her eye checked out....

"Stop Antisemitism, a nonprofit watchdog group, has shared an image Tartak took of the demonstrator who jabbed her in the eye, asking the public to help identify him. Yale officials said the university’s police department is investigating the assault and that the school tolerates no violence on its campus."

Photo courtesy New York Post.

Jewish Yale student jabbed in eye with flag pole by anti-Israel protesters | Jerusalem Post - Michael Starr:

April 21, 2024 - "Tartak reported the assault to campus police, but she is unaware of any action taken besides calling an ambulance for her. She was discharged from the hospital and will not suffer permanent damage. Mentally, however, Tartak said, she was in an 'awful' state. Returning to campus has become a daunting prospect, as she says, 'All these students know who I am'....

"Tartak said that she told officers that they should disband the encampment, but they responded that they needed authorization. Tartak noted that the police were outnumbered, with only 7 officers to police hundreds of activists.

"Yalies for Palestine and American Muslims for Palestine Connecticut said on social media that they had succeeded on Saturday because no arrests had been made during their protests, which began on Friday in response to attempts to remove a similar encampment at Columbia University."

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Toronto protest organizers want police defunded

Protest organizers have accused Toronto police of trying "to criminalize and intimidate pro-Palestinian protesters off the streets," calling for an independent civilian investigation and for the police to be defunded.

Organizers of pro-Palestinian rally in Toronto accuse officers of police brutality, call for independent investigation | CP24 | Codi Wilson:

April 1, 2024 - "Organizers of a pro-Palestinian rally in Toronto are calling for an 'independent civilian investigation' into what they allege was police brutality at a demonstration this past weekend. The demonstration, which occurred downtown on Saturday evening, led to three protesters being charged.... [P]olice alleged that ... protesters 'became aggressive and assaultive' toward officers.... But at a news conference on Monday morning, the organizers of the rally accused the officers of using excessive force in their interactions with protesters.

"'In the last two weeks we have seen dramatic escalations and violence at the hands of the Toronto Police Service. These escalations are in an attempt to criminalize and intimidate pro-Palestinian protesters off the streets,' Dalia Awwad, a member of the Palestinian Youth Movement – Toronto, told reporters. 'We are here today reaffirming our calls to defund the police because the police do not keep us safe… We are also calling for an independent civilian investigation of what took place and what’s more, we are affirming that these are the people’s streets and we will continue to come out and we will continue to mobilize.' The Palestinian Youth Movement – Toronto also shared videos of the demonstration on social media, where officers can be seen pushing protesters.

"In a statement released over the weekend, the Toronto Police Service said ... that their presence this weekend is consistent with what they have done with past demonstrations, adding the Mounted Unit was on standby for crowd control. 'The fundamental difference lies in demonstrators’ refusal to adhere to police directives despite clear forewarning,' Const. Stephanie Sayer wrote. A spokesperson for Toronto police told CP24 on Sunday that they did not receive any reports of injuries at the demonstration but added that formal complaints can be made through the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD)."

LILLEY UNLEASHED: Pro-Hamas protests have no place on Canadian city streets | Toronto Sun | April 8, 2024:

Do councillors support pro-Hamas groups that rejoice in Oct. 7 terror attacks? | Toronto Sun | Brian Lilley

April 10, 2024 - "Mayor Olivia Chow says she won’t condemn six councillors who criticized the Toronto Police Service’s handling of a recent pro-Hamas rally. Neither will the six councillors who signed the letter answer questions put to them by The Toronto Sun, detailing the links between the groups organizing the protests and support for terrorism.... On Monday, I wrote to Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, and Councillors Gord Perks, Aljandro Bravo, Paula Fletcher, Amber Morley and Lily Cheng, and presented them with information about Samidoun and the Palestinian Youth Movement, two of the main organizers of the rallies ... presenting the six councillors with details of the ties between these groups and banned terrorist groups in Canada....

"Samidoun is a group which shows up at protests across Toronto with a large banner reading 'Long Live the Resistance.' The banner features an image of an AK-47 rifle firing bullets, with the butt of the rifle painted as the Palestinian flag.... The group’s Canadian-based international coordinator, Charlotte Kates, states explicitly that she supports Palestinian armed resistance in all forms and encourages everyone else to do the same. Samidoun has direct ties, visible on their website, to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a group listed as a terrorist entity by the Government of Canada since 2003....

"The Palestinian Youth Movement has spent years promoting members of Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and other terrorist groups as heroes. Immediately after the Oct. 7 terror attack by Hamas, the PYM began organizing rallies in support of 'the resistance,' including here in Toronto. Shatha Mahmoud, an organizer with PYM Toronto, gave an interview saying resistance is justified days after the brutal attack Hamas launched on Israel.

"After presenting the information to the councillors, I asked them if they supported Samidoun or the Palestinian Youth Movement, or if allowing groups that endorse banned terrorist groups to march through our streets is a good idea. I asked the councillors if they would denounce the groups for their support of terrorist organizations.... No response....

"We should be into condemning and distancing ourselves from groups that support, embrace and rejoice in terrorist attacks like Samidoun and the Palestinian Youth Movement have done. These are not groups that councillors or any elected official should be supporting in any way or be seen next to. Nor should these groups be given free rein on our streets."

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Toronto cops say agitators inciting protest violence

Pro-Palestinian protesters breaking the law, assaulting officers 'will be arrested': Toronto police | National Post:

April 5, 2024 - " Toronto Police have warned pro-Palestinian protesters to behave, saying agitators are escalating tensions on Toronto streets in the wake of multiple arrests at a downtown demonstration last Saturday.

"Police have said that, during Saturday’s protest, they seized a truck to lay a charge of stunt driving, and that protesters then 'became aggressive and assaultive' toward officers. They said one woman threw horse manure at officers while another 'intentionally used a flagpole to "spear" at an officer.' Organizers of the rally later accused the officers of using excessive force.

"Lauren Pogue, deputy chief of Community Safety Command, told a news conference at police headquarters on Friday that two people were arrested Saturday for assaulting police officers with weapons, and a third arrest was made this week for spitting on an officer, while a fourth person was being sought for striking a police horse.

"Pogue said police have not changed the way they are responding to protests, but that they will not hesitate to respond to violence directed against their officers.

"'If they’re going to break the law, if they’re going to assault our police officers or assault our police horses, there will be consequences and people will be arrested,' she said.

"She also said police were aware of a number of 'agitators' who were present at multiple demonstrations in Toronto and who were stirring up violence."

Toronto police warn of more arrests as pro-Palestinian protests become more violent } Global News | April 5, 2024:

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Protests across Canada over carbon tax hike

Canadians mount Freedom Convoy-styled protests against carbon tax True North | Rachel Emmanuel:

April 1, 2024 - "Thousands of Canadians from across the country are gathering along highways, provincial borders, and Liberals MPs’ offices in a Freedom Convoy-styled protest against the federal carbon tax. The tax rose to 17 cents per litre of gasoline, 21 cents per litre of diesel and 15 cents per cubic metre of natural gas on Monday, Apr. 1.

"Event organizers at various locations told True North that demonstrators are prepared to stay for weeks in hopes of swaying Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to remove his costly tax. 'We’re going to be camping out. There’s no departure date, let’s put it that way,' organizer Elliot McDavid told True North at the Calgary protest. The demonstration saw around 400 attendees by Monday morning, with more arriving each minute....

“'A week, two, three — whatever it takes,' organizer Miranda Courts told True North at the protest in Loydminister along the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. Around 500 attendees showed up there to protest the tax. That demonstration featured a pancake breakfast, coffee, and a warming shack.

"Demonstrators at the Nova Scotia–New Brunswick border succeeded in slowing traffic to a near standstill, according to the RCMP. Hundreds of cars and trucks lined both sides of the highway, with the RCMP eventually closing the road and diverting traffic to a detour.

"Another 30 protesters picketed Ontario Liberal MP Jennifer O’Connell’s office.... Another several hundred demonstrators arrived in Ottawa and chanted “freedom” in French and English. The demonstration took place on Parliament Hill and included speeches.

"Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre told supporters last month that he wanted them to organize protests at the officers of Liberal and New Democrat members of Parliament to pressure them into stopping the carbon tax hike.... The Conservatives introduced a non-confidence motion in the government over the tax, but it was blocked by all of the other parties in the House of Commons. Poilievre [was] set to host his own 'spike the hike' rally in Nanaimo, B.C. Monday evening."

Cross-country protests greet carbon tax increase | CBC News: The National | April 1, 2024:

Saturday, January 20, 2024

Germany's farmers bring protest to capital

Germany's capital was gridlocked on Monday as the country's farmers brought their ongoing national protests to Berlin, with an estimated 30,000 rallying at the Brandenburg Gate.

Germany’s farmers are revolting | Academy of Ideas, Substack | Sabine Beppler-Spahl:

January 18, 2024 - "Thousands of tractors rolled through Berlin on Monday. The city was clogged for hours as the approximately 6,000 machines made their way to the city centre. Their destination was Brandenburg Gate where a protest rally, attended by many thousands (the organisers claimed 30,000) took place. It was the climax of a week-long protest organised by German farmers all over the country. And it was a massive show of discontentment with the government and its green agenda.

"'The traffic light coalition must go', was the main demand, displayed on banners fixed to the tractors. (The traffic light stands for the party colours of the three coalition partners - SPD, Green Party and Liberals.) It was a message echoed by the participants at the demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate too. When asked why they were taking part in the rally, people replied ‘because this policy is not only destroying the farmers, but the whole country’, or ‘because we are fed up with the restrictions imposed on us’.

"The protests were triggered in December when the government announced that it would abolish tax reliefs on agricultural diesel and farm vehicles [as] part of a general budget cut which became necessary after a court ruling exposed a €17 billion gap in the original 2024 budget. The additional burden on farmers was justified with the argument that the government wanted to cancel ‘climate-damaging subsidies’. Farmers, who depend on agricultural diesel vehicles - understandably - saw this as an outrageous disregard for their work. ‘Why should we pay for the government’s incompetence?’ asked one farmer said at the rally.

"It was stupid of the government to believe it could get away with its new tax hikes at a time of growing discontentment. Like other entrepreneurs, farmers are suffering from the high energy prices in Germany. And because parts of the chemical industry have ceased production, fertiliser prices have also rocketed. In January, before the protests hit the streets, the government tried to appease the angry farmers by taking back the tax on vehicle fuel. It also said that the diesel tax would be phased out over a period of two years, rather than all at once. But the farmers who had geared up for the fight were not willing to be put off by such half-hearted compromises....

"For years, discontentment at ever harsher environmental regulations and time-consuming bureaucracy has been building up amongst farmers. In 2019, farmers blocked Berlin’s streets after the Merkel government demanded a 20 per cent reduction in the use of fertilisers, as part of its agricultural reform package. Since then, matters have become even worse. Keen to meet the EU’s strict nitrate laws, the current government announced further directives on nitrates, pesticides and animal-husbandry last summer. As part of the EU’s green new deal, farmland is now being identified for ‘renaturalisation’. Many farmers have already had to reduce their animal stock as a result....

"The determination of the farmers and the size of the protests have caught the government unprepared. On Monday, many protesters said they were fighting for nothing less than the survival of their industry. Without the freedom to make informed decisions, farming would have no future in Germany, they said. But what has made these latest protests special is that they have found such widespread support. Hauliers, craftsmen, restaurant owners and hunters were amongst those standing in front of Brandenburg Gate. Lorry drivers have announced that they will continue the protests this week. And as the tractors rolled through Berlin, countless people could be seen waving at them, and showing the thumbs up sign. A survey carried out by one of Berlin’s leading newspapers found that 65 per cent of those questioned said they stood on the side of the farmers....

"Regrettably, the government has reacted very helplessly. It has said that it would hold on to the cuts, but would reduce bureaucracy for farmers. When Scholz finally commented on the protests last week, he accused the farmers of being too radical: ‘If legitimate protests turn into anger or disregard for democratic processes and institutions, then we all lose’, he said. Such warnings say more about the chancellor and his fear than about the actual protests. The participants on Monday reacted with derision when asked about reports of far-right groups infiltrating the protests. ‘Do you see any right-wingers here?’ asked one. ‘Such talk is all about unsettling people’, said another.

"There were some flags showing the colours of the right-populist AfD, but very few, and only on the periphery. Indeed, the AfD has not been particularly popular with farmers so far. In the last general election in 2021, only eight per cent of farmers voted for the party.... It won't help the government to lump the farmers and their supporters into the corner of right-wing extremists. It will only make people think that for this government, anyone who opposes its green agenda is right-wing. The great solidarity with the farmers shows how exposed this agenda stands."

FARMERS REVOLT: Protests sweep across Germany against 'unfair' tax changes | Sky News Australia | January 18, 2022:

Friday, November 10, 2023

Injuries and arrest at Concordia U protest

Three people were injured and one arrested at Montreal's Concordia University after anti-Israel demonstrators tried to tear down an Israeli flag at a separate event.

'Your land is in Europe!' How anti-Israel crowds at Concordia University turned violent | National Post | Tristin Hopper:

November 9, 2023 - "In the weeks since the Oct. 7 massacres, Canadian academia has yielded no shortage of voices justifying the attacks and calling for Israel’s ultimate defeat. But on Wednesday night, a table at Concordia University draped with an Israeli flag and carrying pictures of Israeli hostages was all it took to provoke a crush of anti-Israel protesters screaming, making threats and ultimately resorting to physical violence.

"'Go back to Poland, sharmouta!' says one man in a widely circulated video of the incident; 'sharmouta' is an Arabic slur for 'whore.' He was later identified as Yanise Arab, a humanities professor at the University of Montreal specializing in 'dominance and resistance in the Arab world.' Another video with 2.4 million views shows a woman screaming a string of obscenities at Jewish students.... A video with 1.1 million views shows a crowd of several dozen chanting 'ceasefire now' at the Jewish students. And another with more than 1.4 million views shows the moment just before police arrived, with demonstrators from the pro-Palestinian side seen crawling over security guards and attempting to tear an Israeli flag. Police said a 22-year-old female student was arrested for assaulting a security guard....

"'Police were called after two members of our Campus Safety and Prevention Services team who had tried to intervene were physically attacked and an ambulance had to be called,' said Concordia University president Graham Carr in a Wednesday statement. He added that the violence occurred around the same time as swastikas were found graffitied on school property. Carr also said that 'a student group issued a social media post that could reasonably be construed as inciting violence' — although it’s not clear what he was referencing.

"According to The Suburban — a Montreal English-language community newspaper — the table was a permitted display organized by the campus Jewish groups Concordia Hillel and Chabad Concordia. The students had set up a Shabbat table. On a table draped with the Israeli flag, they put out place settings of plates, napkins and plastic utensils to represent the approximately 240 civilians missing after the Oct. 7 massacres and still believed to be held as Hamas hostages. Empty Shabbat tables have been a common mourning symbol throughout the Jewish world in the wake of the massacres....

"But the Concordia Shabbat table was reportedly met by a rival table set up nearby by the group Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights. This is the same group that has publicly released statements justifying the Oct. 7 massacres and calling for similar attacks to continue until the Jewish state is destroyed. 'We hold the Israeli regime fully responsible for the current violence,' they wrote in an Oct. 11 statement, adding that Gazans had 'no option but to resist.' The statement even seemed to suggest that such 'decolonization' attacks should be visited upon Canada — which they refer to as 'Turtle Island.'

"In a statement after the disturbance, the group blamed the incident on 'Zionist' provocateurs and said they would continue to advocate for a 'Free Palestine, from the river to the sea' — a slogan meant to explicitly reference Israel’s total eradication.

"An edited three-minute video uploaded by The Suburban shows the escalating encounter as demonstrators in keffiyehs — a black and white scarf associated with Palestinian nationalism — and holding Palestinian flags surround the table, eventually coming to fill much of the surrounding lobby. 'You came and invaded my land, your land is in Europe!' says one man. Several Concordia University security guards can be seen forming a line in front of the Jewish students, who are holding aloft Israeli flags and wearing shirts with images of Hamas hostages....

"Concordia ... has been a centre of overt anti-Israel sentiment for at least the last 20 years. Most notably, pro-Palestinian demonstrators staged a riot at the school in 2002 in opposition to a scheduled speech by Israel politician Benjamin Netanyahu, who is now Israel’s prime minister. Rioters broke a window and began hurling furniture from an upper mezzanine, which ultimately led to the speech’s cancellation."

1 arrested, 3 injured in violent clashes between Concordia University students over Israel-Hamas war | CTV News | November 9, 2023:

Sunday, October 8, 2023

Why are the Coutts 4 still in jail?

Why are the Coutts 4 still in jail, with no bail and no trial date, more than 18 months after their arrest? A former Freedom Convoy participant suspects the worst.

Justin Trudeau's Political Prisoners | Newsweek | Gord Magill:

July 13, 2023 - "It's been 18 months since Canada's Freedom Convoy rocked the world, when truckers from all corners of Canada descended on Ottawa to protest Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's vindictive and punishing vaccine mandates. The ... shockwaves were felt throughout the world—both from the power of the protest and the vicious response to it by Trudeau. While the Convoy was still hundreds of kilometers from Ottawa, Trudeau's Public Safety Minister, Marco Mendocino, was planning a media campaign deploying 'a similar message to the one used in response to the Jan. 6 attacks in Washington, D.C.' which would emphasize the 'more extreme elements' of the protestors. Trudeau memed himself into believing that a January 6 type insurrection was about to storm Parliament Hill, and promptly vacated the city to hide at a chalet in rural Quebec, where he remained for several days....

"Trudeau invoked The Emergencies Act, which allows the Canadian government to suspend civil liberties in the face of a so-called state of emergency. The invocation brought an end to the protests and launched a Kafkaesque nightmare for many who were involved. Bank accounts were seized and funds confiscated. Tamara Lich was arrested, and still faces charges of 'counseling mischief' for her role organizing the protest. And four others — Chris Lysak, Chris Carbert, Anthony (Tony) Olienick, and Jerry Morin — have been held without a trial and without bail for charges related to 'conspiracy to commit murder' against Canadian police officers at the Coutts, Alberta border crossing.

"These are serious charges, which should imply serious evidence presented at an expeditious trial; yet at time of writing, it has been 515 days since these men were arrested, and no trial has yet taken place. Worse, the evidence on offer is vague and ambiguous: text messages, testimony from two undercover RCMP officers working the crowd at the Coutts protest site, and a widely circulated photo of allegedly confiscated weapons that provided the main justification for the invocation of The Emergencies Act.

"Whatever the charges against them, the denial of bail is an egregious departure from the norm, and has been given no explanation. As Donald Best, a former detective and 15 year veteran of the Toronto Police Services, pointed out, everybody gets bail in Canada, including a suspect accused of the first degree murder of a Toronto Police Officer.... Yet there's no bail set for the Coutts Four, whose ... actual trial date will be set for some time in 2024. These are political prisoners, pure and simple. They are being denied basic rights due to even the most violent of criminals because they are on the wrong side of the Trudeau government. They are being used as a fig leaf, the last shred of Trudeau's legitimacy for invoking The Emergencies Act and for the massive overreach of freezing bank accounts and seizing assets that it incurred.

"It seems that Trudeau is determined not only to smear the Convoy as a Jan. 6 Canadian redo, but to treat the Coutts Four in a similar way, depriving them of their civil rights as the United States did to many protesters arrested in the days and weeks following that fateful day in D.C. Hundreds spent over a year in Guantanamo Bay-like conditions in D.C. prisons, denied bail and treated worse than convicted rapists and serial killers.... But few in Canada are willing to expose our version of these abuses.

"Margaret 'Granny' Mackay of Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta is one of them. Mackay is the creator and administrator of the Alberta Political Prisoners Facebook page and is in regular contact with the accused and their legal team. Mackay has highlighted the subpar treatment the men have received in remand, including being held in segregation, a polite term for the torture known as solitary confinement; having necessary medical treatment delayed; being denied supplements for treating specific health issues; and being granted extremely limited visitation time from family.

"Did they commit crimes worthy of such treatment? We just don't know. As Mackay has maintained through all of this, 'I'm after the truth. The truth is locked in a remand center right now, and it's not being allowed out'.... Jason Lavigne, an independent journalist in western Alberta, put it [that] "There is an inverted house of cards Trudeau, Mendocino, Rouleau, all of these people have built, and at the bottom are the Coutts 4.' If these men are exonerated, Canadians will start demanding answers about a whole lot of other things....

"The Coutts Four are the last of Trudeau's political enemies whom he can punish with impunity; they have no power and the full weight of the state against them. If his government can allow murderers and terrorists out on bail, they should extend the same to the men from Coutts and get on with the trial.... We don't yet know if these men are innocent or guilty of the charges against them, but it flies in the face of justice that they have not yet faced trial and have been denied bail."

Fort Macleod Councillor speaks on the plight of the Coutts 4 | Marco Van Huigenbos, Guest | Bridge City News | June 30, 2023:

Friday, October 6, 2023

Ottawa police taze "Save the Children" protester

Ottawa police were armed with tazers to control protesters at Thursday's "Save the Children convoy" event on Parliament Hill.

This convoy to Parliament had no trucks or horns but did have electric shocks | Toronto Sun | Joe Warmington:

October 5, 2023 - "Another convoy protest to Parliament Hill and another strong use-of-force response by Ottawa Police. This time it was a 'Save the Children' event in protest of gender ideology in schools. This time there were no trucks, honking horns, police horses or Emergencies Act declaration. But there was what witnesses described as a 'Taser' — technically referred to as a Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) — not used to subdue just one person under arrest, but also pointed at the crowd ... late in the afternoon on Oct. 4, 2023....

Still fromToronto Sun video

"This was a man described as a 54-year-old man, in shorts and a T-shirt, among a couple of dozen protesters. He was arrested and taken to the ground being struck with the CEW wire and then, while face down on the road, the device was put to his back, and you can hear the electrical charge coming from the hand-held device that has the appearance of a gun. Soon after, the officer lifted the CEW, trained on those nearby, and pointed it at horrified witnesses – one of whom was the man’s wife.

"'Back up, back up,' you can hear the angered officer saying as he pointed the use-of-force option from one person to another. It had a frantic, surreal and out-of-control situation feel to it just below the Prime Minister’s Office on Wellington Street – 19-months removed from the Freedom Convoy protest on this same spot.

"There is video showing the officer’s knee on the man’s side and back while administering the CEW as they were handcuffing him. A second officer at one point put his hands on his neck. 'He can’t breathe!' you can hear the man’s wife screaming. 'He had a heart attack twice. Don’t do that.'

"Social media posts later indicated he was back home and, despite showing marks the CEW allegedly left on his skin, he did not seem to be severely hurt — even though while on the escort to the car the officer and man slipped and fell on what appeared to be wet pavement. Another officer was seen to take out his CEW device while encouraging people to retreat. A second person, who does not appear to have been involved in the slipping incident, is seen to have been handcuffed....

"It is not clear from the video what precipitated the original arrest, or the others which earlier included an older female. But ... no one was held in custody. On X (formerly Twitter), Ottawa Police posted they 'were on scene in the area of Parliament Hill to ensure public safety was maintained during a demonstration' and 'some protesters were using large speakers and loud hailers in contravention of bylaws.' Ottawa Police said that 'after various interactions with police, three people were arrested for obstruction and later released on conditions'....

"Ottawa Police have yet to comment further. It is important to hear their perspective. There is nothing easy about being a police officer in general and especially in a situation like that. It’s also appropriate for police to review responses to ensure something can be learned. The best strategy is always de-escalation, and the best outcome is no one harmed....

"In Ottawa during the [Freedom Convoy], Rebel News reporter Alexa Lavoie was struck with a cannister from a crowd-controlling tear–gas gun and 4-foot-10, 78-year-old great-grandfather and retired school custodian Gerry Charlebois was physically arrested following an incident where an officer felt he had violated Ottawa’s no-honking bylaw. Now 80, Charlebois, who had his charges recently withdrawn by the Crown, was not protesting but offering support for a trucker.

"But protesting is a Charter right. Demonstrators are taxpayers and human beings just as vital to the country as elected officials or authority figures. With Canadians finding themselves shot, taken down violently or hit with an electrical charge, sometimes government needs to be reminded of that."

UPDATE: The Toronto Sun has posted a video of the incident on their YouTube channel. YouTube has left it up, but it cannot be embedded.

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Antifa types shut down Victoria BC parents' protest

Victoria police shut down the 1 Million March 4 Children parental rights rally at the Legislature after just 15 minutes, when masked counter-protestors in black hoodies pushed past police and rushed the stage.

Police shut down Victoria parental rights march within 15 minutes | True North | Lindsay Shepherd:

September 22, 2023 - "[W]omen’s rights advocate Meghan Murphy was only five minutes into her speech at the Victoria, B.C. 1 Million March 4 Children parental rights rally when police told organizers to shut down the event and leave. The march planned for later that afternoon never happened, as Victoria police (VicPD) ordered an end to the protest within 15 minutes of it starting on Wednesday, Murphy told True North.

"Murphy, as well as other rally speakers and organizers, were demonstrating on the B.C. legislature grounds in support of parental rights and removing gender identity ideology from school curricula. According to VicPD, 'At approximately 12:30 p.m., counter-protesters pushed past police and rushed the stage, creating an unsafe environment, and a decision was made to cease further planned activities.' Two arrests were made.

""A contingent of rainbow-wearing counter-protesters ... [kept] a distance from the main protest. However, busloads of young counter-protesters wearing black hoodies began arriving at the grounds, and streams of the masked agitators headed straight for the stage.

"Murphy said VicPD was to blame. 'The Victoria Police had committed to keeping the protesters away, there wasn’t supposed to be any physical contact between the counter-protesters and the people there to attend the rally, many of whom are parents, moms with kids, elderly women,' Murphy recounted. 'The police didn’t even attempt to separate protesters from us.'

"Murphy said that a counter-protester rushing the stage punched a police officer in the head and was promptly tackled to the ground by other officers. At that point, police shut down the entire affair.... Police and security escorted Murphy to her car when she left.

"'Following escalating tensions at a large demonstration in front of the BC Legislature today, with approximately 2,500 people in attendance, VicPD Officers are asking citizens to leave, and for others to avoid the area,' the department stated in a September 20 community notice....

"Dozens of 1 Million March 4 Children protests with hundreds or even thousands of attendees took place across the country, but the Victoria event was the only one shut down by police."

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Canada-wide protests over school gender policies

Arrests, heated exchanges mark rallies for and against teaching LGBTQ rights in schools | CBC News:

September 20, 2023 - "Competing protests sprouted up in cities and communities across Canada on Wednesday, as opposing groups loudly clashed on how schools address issues of gender identity.... Arrests were reported in Ottawa, Halifax, Vancouver and also Victoria — where Victoria police advised people to avoid the B.C. legislature amid protests they said had become 'unsafe' and which prompted at least two arrests.

"Earlier Wednesday, Ottawa police said two people were arrested for "inciting hatred" by "displaying hateful material" during a protest in the capital. An arrest was also reported at a protest in Halifax, where several hundred people participated in local protests and counter-protests. Another arrest was reported in Vancouver — where more than 1,000 people were present between the protests and counter-protests on Wednesday — but police did not immediately provide further details.

"Some parents and socially conservative groups are protesting LGBTQ-inclusive education policies in the classroom and in extracurricular settings under the banner of parental rights.... Policies emerging across the country, including in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, that require young people to get parental consent before teachers can use their preferred first names and pronouns are at the heart of these protests. Those opposed to parental consent rules say the policies are a violation of children's rights and that transgender youth should not be outed to their parents by teachers.

"In Ottawa, thousands of people faced off in front of Parliament Hill and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh led a group of counter-protesters down Wellington Street. The street was closed in both directions between Elgin and Bank streets as over 1,000 people gathered for demonstrations. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his support for LGBTQ people across Canada, via a statement on X, the former Twitter. 'We strongly condemn this hate and its manifestations," wrote Trudeau, who was in New York to speak at the UN Climate Ambition Summit....

In Hamilton, protesters marched from a local mall toward the headquarters of the local school board. Several hundred people, a total including both those involved in the protest and counter-protest, were present, according to CBC Hamilton.
The exterior of another school board in London, Ont., was a site where hundreds of protesters and counter-protesters appeared Wednesday.
In Calgary, police said more than 1,000 people were involved in protests and a fraction of that in related counter-protests, occurring Wednesday.
In Edmonton, police estimated that 1,200 people were involved in local protests and counter-protests in the provincial capital.
Saskatchewan's two largest cities saw protests as well, as did several cities in Manitoba.
In Yukon, dozens of protesters and several hundred counter-protesters stood on opposite sides of a street from one another in downtown Whitehorse on Wednesday.
In St. John's, Grand Falls-Windsor and Corner Brook, N.L., protesters gathered at government buildings and parking lots. These gatherings saw tears and heated back-and-forth arguments....
On Prince Edward Island, protesters gathered in downtown Charlottetown, where counter-protesters also made their presence known. A CBC News crew reported seeing a handful of skirmishes during the day's events — including an occasion in which a person was knocked to the ground....
British Columbia also saw protests and counter-protests in Kamloops and Kelowna, where hundreds of people from both sides met outside the courthouse and city hall, respectively, carrying signs and shouting slogans.
Protests also occurred in Prince George and Surrey, B.C."

Thousands gather for dueling protests over gender identity policies on school | CITY News | September 20, 2023:

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Trial of Tamara Lich & Chris Barber begins today

More than 18 months after being charged, Freedom Convoy organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber get their scheduled four weeks in court.

Tamara Lich trial starting Tuesday | Western Standard | Lee Harding:

September 4, 2023 - "Tamara Lich is going to trial and those crowdfunding her defence say they will live tweet all the proceedings. The four-week trial for the Freedom Convoy leader starts Sept. 5. The Democracy Fund (TDF) is crowdfunding Lich’s legal defence and promises TDF lawyers will provide daily real-time insights and updates directly from the courtroom at Twitter.com/TDF_Can. Through the live posts, the organization aims 'to foster transparency, engagement, and understanding surrounding the legal proceedings' which it calls 'a significant moment in Canada's legal and social landscape.' Lich’s legal team is led by Lawrence Greenspon, a senior criminal lawyer in Ottawa....

"'Tamara's prosecution shows how a prominent political dissident is treated by our justice system," said Alan Honner, TDF's director of litigation. 'The trucker convoy exposed the government's willingness to invoke extraordinary powers to suppress a nationwide protest that was remarkably peaceful,' added Honner. 'Tamara has become the face of that protest, so there is a lot at stake in the outcome of her trial.'

"On July 28, TDF announced its lawyers would represent 12 clients charged with more than 24 offences arising from the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa and Windsor. These clients include a decorated Canadian military veteran, an indigenous single father and a law school grad. The charges range from mischief, breach of a court order and breach of bail conditions to obstruction of a police officer. In each of these cases, the Crown is seeking up to three months in prison. TDF pledged to 'vigorously advance all defences available to our clients.'

"Most trials for TDF clients are expected to take between two to five days each, yet TDF expects back-to-back trials from Dec 2023 to Feb 2024."

Freedom Convoy Trial Inbound - Chris Barber & Tamara Lich Gear Up for Legal Fight with The Feds | Clyde Do Something | August 1, 2023:

‘Freedom Convoy’ duo faces trial in Ottawa. Here’s what the charges mean | Global News | David Baxter, with files from The Canadian Press and Rachel Gilmore:

September 5, 2023 - "Tamara Lich and Chris Barber are both accused of mischief, obstructing police, counselling others to commit mischief, and intimidation. As the trial gets underway and is expected to last 16 days, Global News breaks down what these charges mean.

"Under the Criminal Code, mischief has a broad definition. It’s characterized as the willful destruction of property, making it dangerous or useless to others and/or obstructing, interrupting or interfering with the lawful enjoyment of property of others.... Michael Spratt, an Ottawa-based defence lawyer ... Spratt says that it is not uncommon to see mischief charges in a large protest or demonstration that disrupts a community.... Spratt says that neither Lich nor Barber necessarily had to be among the people actively honking horns, for instance.... As leadership figures in the convoy, there is a possibility they can be held responsible for the actions of others. This goes along with the counselling to commit mischief charge.... The central mischief charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted, but Spratt sees that as highly unlikely....

"With respect to the charge of intimidation, Spratt pointed to the many stories of downtown Ottawa residents not feeling safe in their community while the convoy was occupying the city for those three weeks in February 2021....

"On the final charge — obstructing police — Spratt says Lich and Barber may still be found liable for things they didn’t do themselves due to their perceived leadership positions.... '“If the Crown is able to prove with evidence in court that they took steps to encourage other people to continue lawless behaviour or obstruct police or intimidate others through actions like telling people to hold the line or to ignore dispersal orders, it’s those types of, controlling actions that can lead them to be liable and to be convicted,' he said.

"Lich famously said 'hold the line' in a video of her arrest when police moved in to begin breaking up the protest. 'Hold the line' was used as a rallying cry of sorts throughout the protest by many people involved. It is also the title of Lich’s memoir."

Thursday, June 22, 2023

Barrie halts bylaws that banned helping homeless

After protests, the Barrie, Ontario, city council has shelved two controversial bylaws that would have made giving food, clothing or other goods to the homeless illegal on city property.

This Barrie grandmother is protesting a plan to ban giving food to homeless people on city property | CBC News | Clara Pasieka:

Jun 21, 2023 5:00 AM ADT - "Christine Nayler is staying in a tent outside Barrie City Hall, but it's not because she doesn't have a home. The Barrie grandmother and her peers are aiming to raise awareness about new bylaws expected to pass on Wednesday night that she says will make her work of serving her unhoused neighbours next to impossible. Nayler is the co-founder of Ryan's Hope, a non-profit corporation that serves those experiencing mental health, addiction and homelessness challenges.... The organization serves hundreds of meals each month to those experiencing homelessness.

"Bylaw[s] 67 and 68, which Barrie City Council will vote on on Wednesday, make the distribution of food, literature, clothes, tents, tarps, or other items to protect people sleeping outside from the elements illegal on city property.... Nayler ... says organizations like hers are targeted by the proposed bylaws that could see those who distribute goods fined between $500 and $100,000 for carrying out their core missions — fines they could never afford....

"Other advocacy groups against the bylaws are planning other quiet protests at city hall during the Wednesday night meeting. Faith leaders have also written a letter to councillors indicating the ban would mean they cannot act on their faith....

"Several advocates told CBC Toronto they will attempt to overturn the bylaws through a Charter challenge if they pass on June 21. Lawyers from the Community Legal Clinic of York Region have written to Barrie's mayor and council urging the councillors to press pause."

Protesters demonstrate proposed Barrie bylaw that would “criminalize kindness” | CityNews - June 21, 2023:

City of Barrie backs down on plan to ban giving food to homeless people on its property | CBC News | Muriel Draaisma:

Jun 21, 2023 8:27 PM ADT - "The city of Barrie, Ont., has backed away from proposed bylaws that would have made it illegal to distribute food, literature, clothes, tents and tarps to unhoused people on public property. At a meeting on Wednesday night, council decided unanimously to refer bylaws 67 and 68 back to staff.... 'There should be zero fear out there that a bylaw officer or a peace officer is going to come and ask you not to give water to someone who needs it,' Mayor Alex Nuttall told council chambers.

"The proposed bylaws have sparked controversy in Barrie for weeks. Several people in council chambers held up homemade placards on Wednesday to protest the proposed bylaws. 'We support the unhoused,' read one. 'Fight poverty, not the poor,' read another.

"Earlier, in a news release, Nuttall said the city no longer needed the proposed bylaws after a community not-for-profit organization, Busby Centre, decided to relocate its daily outreach program away from the Barrie waterfront.... According to the city, the intent of the bylaws was to stop organizations like the centre from handing out food and supplies along the Barrie waterfront and instead move their outreach to private property....

"On Tuesday, the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness had set up an online tool that allowed people to send emails to Barrie councillors to protest the bylaws. Less than two hours before the meeting, more 23,000 emails had been sent, the group said."

Monday, June 5, 2023

Civil rights group challenging Calgary protest ban

The Canadian Constitution Foundation has announced a legal challenge to the Calgary bylaw that bans some protests near libraries and recreational facilities.

CCF announces legal challenge to Calgary bylaw banning protests | Canadian Constitution Foundation (press release):

May 15, 2023 - "The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) has filed a notice of application for judicial review challenging a Calgary bylaw that prohibits certain types of protests near city libraries and recreation centres.

"'The Calgary protest ban bylaw violates core democratic rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly guaranteed by the Charter,' said CCF Litigation Director, Christine Van Geyn. 'The protest ban bylaw is not content neutral, prohibits certain types of protests but not others. It puts the City of Calgary in the position of picking and choosing what types of protests are permitted and which are prohibited. This cannot be justified in a free and democratic society.'

"The bylaw only restricts certain types of protests, namely protests that express 'objection or disapproval' towards ideas or actions related to 'race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family status or sexual orientation'.

"The bylaw prohibits protests of this nature on publicly accessible property within 100 meters of an entrance to a recreation facility or a library. The bylaw comes with serious penalties, including a $10,000 fine and a term of imprisonment.

"'It is not for the government to tell Canadians what they may or may not protest. This proposed bylaw and the $10,000 fine and threat of jail time is unconstitutional and should never have been passed.'

"'Libraries are places for learning, debate and discovery. Recreation facilities and libraries can and do quite literally play host to political debates during elections. The effect of the bylaw is to silence debate around places where debate is designed to happen. Under the bylaw, the government would permit a pipeline protest but could prohibit a protest about female genital mutilation as a religious practice, or a protest about medical assistance in dying, or even a protest related to international armed conflict. The bylaw will also chill other speech that may not fall within the definition of "specified protest", but which the public may fear could attract state sanction due to uncertainty in enforcement or application of the bylaw. The bylaw must be struck down,' concluded Van Geyn.

"The CCF is bringing this application as a public interest litigant and is represented by Calgary lawyer Yoav Niv. Members of the public interested in supporting the costs associated with this case can make a tax deductible charitable donation at theCCF.ca/donate/."

https://theccf.ca/challenge-to-calgary-bylaw-banning-protests/

Thursday, March 16, 2023

Calgary bans protests near recreational facilities

In response to protests over Calgary Alberta's drag queen story hour program, the city council has banned protests within 100 meters of a library or recreational facility.

Calgary city council passes safety bylaws after protests at library drag events | CBC News - Canadian Press:

March 15, 2023 - "Calgary city council has updated a bylaw and brought in another to address escalating protests at drag events.... The new law, called the Safe and Inclusive Access Bylaw, will immediately prohibit protests within 100 metres of an entrance to a recreation facility or library....

"Mayor Jyoti Gondek told reporters.... 'There's no banning of protests. It is simply removing [them] from the entrance so that people can have a safe experience inside those buildings.' Several councillors questioned the speed of the bylaw changes and wanted more time to consider the matter, but council ultimately voted 10-5 in favour of the new bylaw [which] will come back to council for a review in a month."

OP-ED: The real problem with Calgary’s new drag story time protest ban | True North - Ryan O'Connor

March 16, 2023 - "The bylaw was rushed through Council, debated in one session, not subjected to the customary committee review, with city staff even admitting that the bylaw is the first of its kind in Canada.... Further scrutiny and study would have revealed that not only is Calgary’s bylaw a solution in search of a problem, but that it is one of the more egregious and unconstitutional exercises of authority in a major Canadian municipality in recent memory, and will actually prevent most, if not all, public demonstrations – even those that Councillors might endorse.

"There are already laws to address actual 'physical harm' caused to community members. Assault, uttering threats, and mischief are all offences under the Criminal Code. Hate-motivated offences can attract additional criminal penalties. Alberta already has trespass laws that prevent demonstrators from entering certain private spaces. Councillors presumably know this, which is why they needed to extend their authority to prevent the 'psychological harm' they feel occurs when protestors raise uncomfortable issues. Unfortunately for these Councillors, however, the Charter protects the freedoms of expression and assembly, and any infringement of these rights must be justified as a reasonable limit....

"The bylaw as enacted bans peaceful, silent protests on sidewalks and public areas outside designated municipal buildings.... A single person holding a sign related to any of these causes would be charged under the bylaw. Of course, any counter-protest related to any of these causes would also be banned. And given that some political protests are restricted, but not others, the law will likely be applied in a discretionary manner, open for abuse and misuse by city authorities and the targeting of certain groups over others based solely on their ideology, religion, or otherwise. Banning virtually all demonstrations on certain public property during daytime hours, which do not impede the public and may not even create noise ... will surely fail to be justified under the Charter and will be struck down....

"It is an unfortunate symptom of our political culture that speech a politician doesn’t like is now classified as a 'harm' impacting 'safety', as if words are fists and a placard is a weapon. Instead of responding to protestors and political opponents with respect, kindness, and better arguments, Calgary City Council has chosen to use the hammer of the law to avoid any heavy persuasive lifting. In doing so, rather than have the best political argument win, Calgary City Council has decided to unconstitutionally shut down most political protests – even ones with which they agree."

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

European farmers' protests spread to Belgium

Belgian farmers paralyzed Brussels on Friday with a Netherlands-style farmers' Freedom Convoy, to protest the government's planned emission cuts to fight climate change.

Aggro-culture: Farmers’ protest brings Brussels’ EU Quarter to a standstill | Politico.au - Susannah Svage:

March 3, 2023 - "Convoys of tractors brought traffic in Brussels to a standstill Friday, as thousands of Belgian farmers protested the Flemish regional government’s plans to limit nitrogen emissions from agriculture. Some 2,700 tractors rolled into Brussels from the Flanders region, according to police estimates, filling the streets with a cacophony of honks as farmers vented their anger over the planned cuts, which they say threaten to put many of them out of business.

"'“It’s an economic and social catastrophe,” said Nele Kempeneers, a spokesperson for Belgian farmers' association Boerenbond, one of the unions that organized the protest. “A lot of farms will have to limit the amount of animals that they keep, or simply close down.'

"Some protestors plastered signs to the front of their tractors, voicing their opposition. 'No farmers, no food,' read one. 'Don’t forget who takes care of your food,' read another. Others started a fire and set off firecrackers on Rue de la Loi, in the heart of the European quarter. But this was a different group capitalizing on the protest — not farmers, a member of Boerenbond told POLITICO.

"Last year, the Flemish government put forward a package of measures to cut nitrate pollution. An initial agreement unraveled following a public consultation period over the summer. The parties making up the ruling coalition returned to the negotiating table this week but were unable to strike a deal.

"The planned cuts unfairly place a heavier burden on agriculture than industry, claim farming unions, who have the support of the Flemish Christian Democrats. 'There’s no future for us, we cannot go on like this,' Ruben Bauwens, a 30-year-old dairy farmer, told POLITICO.

"Similar protests took place last year in the Netherlands after the Dutch government approved an agreement that aimed to slash nitrogen emissions by up to 70 percent in some regions. Intensive livestock farming and the use of fertilizers in both the Netherlands and Belgium have contributed to levels of nitrogen ... in the soil and water that exceed thresholds on emissions set by the EU [European Union]."

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