(OTTAWA) One of the figureheads of the “freedom convoy” that paralyzed downtown Ottawa for three weeks last winter will have to remain in jail pending trial. Tamara Lich was arrested on June 27 in Alberta for breaching her release conditions.
Posted at 2:54 p.m.
Updated at 3:14 p.m.
“It is completely ridiculous to think that the intention of the court when it imposes not to communicate or have contact [avec une autre personne] can be canceled simply by the presence of his lawyer, ”hammered the justice of the peace, Paul Harris, on Friday.
Tamara Lich’s release conditions prevented her from having any contact with Tom Mazarro, one of the spokespersons for this demonstration against compulsory vaccination and sanitary measures during the pandemic, and other organizers of the convoy except in the presence of his lawyer. The judge recalled that this condition was intended to allow co-defendants to prepare a defense for their trials, not to allow them to socialize.
Tamara Lich sat at the same table as Tom Mazarro on June 16 at an awards show in Toronto. The Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms then gave him an award for his leadership during the “freedom convoy”.
In a video presented to the court on Tuesday, we see her chatting for a few seconds with Tom Marazzo. A photograph showing them together was also introduced into evidence by the Crown.
The judge therefore believes that Tamara Lich must remain in prison while awaiting trial to maintain confidence in the judicial system. He accuses him not only of having attended the awards ceremony to celebrate his participation in the convoy, “an event which plunged the residents of downtown Ottawa into a continuous state of fear”, but of having chosen to to sit at the same table as Tom Mazarro, to communicate with him and “to throw oil on the fire” to have his photograph taken “arm in arm with him”.
The Crown had also presented in evidence text message exchanges between Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, another organizer of the “freedom convoy” which confirms that their “command center” intended to blockade the city center of Ottawa two days after the arrival of the first trucks.
For the Crown, the text messages constitute proof that the Albertan was one of the people responsible for the demonstration and that, therefore, she should remain in detention, especially since she is accused of not having respected her release conditions.
The defense believes that they only prove that it did not want to make the decision to blockade downtown Ottawa alone.
Tamara Lich faces multiple charges for her participation in the ‘freedom convoy’ including mischief, obstruction, intimidation and counseling others to commit mischief, intimidation and interfere with the work of the police. His next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.
His lawyer, Lawrence Greenspon, intends to seek a review of his bond in the Ontario Superior Court. He said the 49-year-old Albertan was “obviously disappointed” with the justice of the peace’s decision and was looking forward to being able to regain her freedom.
He had maintained during the hearing that his client had not contravened her conditions of release since his lawyers were present during the award ceremony and that the interaction with Tom Marazzo had lasted only a few seconds.
Protesters in support of Tamara Lich were gathered outside the courthouse. ” Shame ! Shame ! they chanted, waving the maple leaf. Several of them were inside the courtroom when the judge’s decision was delivered, including a woman who burst into tears.
With The Canadian Press