(OTTAWA) One of the “Freedom Convoy” organizers says police never asked them to leave downtown Ottawa, despite evidence to the contrary. Tamara Lich continued her testimony to the emergency commission on Friday.
Posted at 1:50 p.m
Mylene Crete La Presse
After the federal government applied the emergency law, officials distributed notices to truckers who were shutting down downtown Ottawa, telling them to leave or be arrested. A federal emergency was declared on February 14, four days before a major police operation to disperse protesters began.
“I was never told to leave,” she said under cross-examination with Ottawa Police Prosecutor David Migikovsky.
The latter then presented him with a report on the work of the police liaison officers. They report meeting Tamara Lich and other organizers at a hotel to let them know that the news has been conveyed to them. According to this report, she cried because she thought it was unfair.
“I was upset and I think I told them I can’t believe you’re doing this to your own people,” she said. We were there to demonstrate peacefully. »
She said she doesn’t remember the police then telling her to leave the city center and relaying this message to the other participants in the “freedom convoy.” “It was suggested,” she said.
Me Migicovsky then told her that she had selective memory.
The day before, Ms. Lich gave a sometimes emotional testimony, recounting her decision to organize the “Freedom Convoy” in Ottawa in response to the health measures imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19. Because of these restrictions, she and her husband then lost their jobs.
“I was increasingly concerned about the damage these actions were doing to Canadians,” she said. And I felt I had to exercise my democratic rights. »
She said the last thing she wanted was for Ottawa citizens to feel bothered by the hundreds of trucks blocking downtown streets, honking their horns at all hours of the day and night. She had also admitted that the sound of car horns was “a little too much for her” after two days, but that they didn’t hear them much from their hotel room.
Ms. Lich was arrested on February 17, the day before the police operation to shut down the truck convoy, and faces various charges including mischief and inciting mischief. In a video of her arrest provided as evidence, she urges other protesters to “stand their ground”. The demonstrators wanted to stay as long as the vaccination requirement for cross-border truckers was not lifted by the federal government.
She said on Friday she was unaware that Ottawa Mayor Jim Waston, former Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly, Premier Justin Trudaeu and Minister Chrystia Freeland had received death threats during the protests. “I’ve also received death threats,” she said.