On Feb. 22 Freedom Convoy leader Tamara Lich, a primary organiser of the protests that erupted in Ottawa and across Canada in opposition to COVID-19 measures, was denied bail by an Ontario court.
Lich, who was arrested without incident on Feb. 17 has been charged with counseling to commit mischief.
Ontario Court Justice Julie Bourgeois said on Tuesday morning that Lich poses a “substantial likelihood” of reoffending and placing public safety at risk should she be released on bail, indicating that Lich could be held indefinitely.
“I am satisfied there is evidence that your actions and participation in this offending behaviour had the result of causing or contributing to the serious impact on the physical, mental and financial health and well-being of our community,” Bourgeois told Lich in court Tuesday morning adding that, “You are certainly facing a potentially lengthy term of imprisonment.”
Throughout the proceeding Court Justice Bourgeois attacked Lich’s credibility telling Lich, “I found your testimony to be guarded and your attitude almost obstructive,” and characterized her responses as “disturbing, secretive and mysterious.”
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She was ordered by the court not to communicate with four other individuals identified as leaders of the protest movement including Chris Barber, who was released on bail on Feb. 18; Patrick King who has been falsely characterized as one of the leaders of the movement and B.J. Dichter and Daniel Bulford.
Lich, is a Canadian politician who served on the Maverick Party’s Board of Directors before resigning from the role to focus on the Freedom Convoy 2022 movement. The Maverick Party, a federal political party, was formed in Jan. 2020 to advocate for constitutional changes to benefit Western Canada.
In an interview on Feb. 6 Lich was asked, “We’ve seen pastors in Alberta being locked up for not complying with COVID rules. Do you think that … these organizers could be locked up for their protests?” The interviewer pressed further, inquiring whether she was prepared to be incarcerated for her activism to which Lich responded, “This is my hill.”
Lich is scheduled to appear in court again on March 2.
