André Desfossés, 58, has been charged with $5,000 in mischief and conspiracy, as has former identity group leader La Meute and current leader of the Farfadaas, Steeve Charland, his wife Karol “La Louv” Tardif, Tommy Rioux and Mario Roy, at Anti -Hygienic mask leader who no longer refers to himself as such.
Following Mr Desfossés’ guilty plea to mischief, the Crown dropped the conspiracy charge against him.
Before the judge, André Desfossés, who now distances himself from the anti-sanitary measures group Farfadaas, merely stated that he had enough and wanted to turn the page of this story. He was due to receive his sentence next April.
time for a song…
Shortly before the trial began Monday morning at the Montreal courthouse, the defendant, despite his guilty plea, wanted to clarify his thinking.
“We didn’t block it [le tunnel]. We demonstrated. It’s a right to protest. No matter where, it’s a right. »
— A quote from André Desfossés, defendant
The tunnel is closed for at least an hour every day. The time of a song… he pleaded.
On the evening of March 13, 2021, anti-mask activists stopped their vehicles in the middle of the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine Tunnel, blocking the three northbound lanes.
One of the vehicles had been playing the song “Cut the Cable” by Steeve “L’Artiss” Charland, which has become something of a Farfadaas anthem during the pandemic.
Faced with the bang, an impatient motorist armed with a hammer got out of his vehicle and smashed the lights of vehicles blocking traffic. The scene was filmed and posted on social media.
The video in question was also presented in court as evidence on Monday.
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Lie down and spread out in front of the crown
Mario Roy, who also testified to the media before the opening of the trial, highlighted the tensions that exist within the members and ex-members of the Farfadaas group, particularly by harshly commenting on André Desfossés’ decision to plead guilty .
If he decides to lie down and spread out in front of the crown, it’s his choice, he interjected.
“If we’re waiting for a trial because we have claims to make, we have to enforce our claims. It’s not just a traitor to me, it’s a no balls. »
— A quote from the defendant Mario Roy on André Desfossés’ guilty plea
Mario Roy no longer describes himself as an anti-mask leader.
Photo: Radio Canada
I have exercised a constitutional right to demonstrate to denounce police brutality, he also argued. I will never plead guilty to exercising my right as a citizen to seek citizen protection.
We did it safely, everything was planned, added Mario Roy. And even, the plans had been organized by an ex-soldier who told us how to do it so it would be safe.
ID approval
Steeve Charland, Karol Tardif, Tommy Rioux and Mario Roy admitted Monday that they were actually present in the vehicles that blocked the bridge tunnel on March 13, 2021.
According to Crown prosecutor Me Martin Bourgeois, this admission by the four co-defendants does not mean a guilty verdict is inevitable. I wouldn’t dare compromise on a conviction or an eventual acquittal, he said.
I think that’s just one of the things the prosecution has to prove at this point. We have more to prove, the lawyer admitted.
I don’t know the defense yet, so it’s hard for me to decide. It will be at the end of the pleadings that maybe we can discuss it further, he added, recalling that most sentences in this case are open-ended.
We can go from captivity to absolution.
All co-defendants are representing themselves in this case. Judge Jean-Jacques Gagné therefore explained to them in detail the legal provisions of the trial, which must last 10 days, on Monday.
With information from Elyse Allard