The criminal trial of 5 members of an anti-sanitary measures group, calling themselves the “Farfadaas”, accused of blocking the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine bridge-tunnel in March 2021, began Monday morning at the Montreal courthouse.
These five people, a leader of the anti-mask movement, Mario Roy, the former leader of the identity movement La Meute, Steeve “L’Artiss” Charland, as well as André Desfossés, Tommy Rioux, and Karol Tardif, are accused of mischief and conspiracy to commit mischief. They are all representing themselves, without a lawyer.
On March 13, 2021, they reportedly blocked all three lanes of the tunnel, completely stopping traffic. Some got out of their vehicles in order to sing on the tracks, said the Crown prosecutor, Me Martin Bourgeois. An exasperated motorist then attacked protesters’ vehicles with a hammer. The traffic stoppage lasted about 5 minutes, Ms.e Bourgeois.
The lawsuit has the potential to re-examine the rules surrounding protests and the limits on free speech.
There were initially two other defendants: one has already pleaded guilty and received an intermittent prison sentence of 45 days, and the other died before trial.
Monday morning, Mr. Desfossés also decided to plead guilty to the charge of mischief, and the Crown withdrew the charge on the count of conspiracy.
On the forecourt of the courthouse, before going to the trial room, Mr. Roy said that it was not a demonstration against the measures imposed to counter COVID-19, but that it rather, was intended to denounce police brutality. He called the charges against him “outlandish”.
“You will see, the truth will come out during the trial,” he said.