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The trial for three alleged organizers of the 2022 Coutts border blockade continues today in Lethbridge, Alberta. Much of last week’s proceedings focused on the testimony of Crown witness and veteran RCMP officer Mark Wielgosz, who acted as a liaison between police and the protesters.
Alex Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos, and George Janzen are each facing up to 10 years in prison for their roles in the peaceful demonstration. Each of the men are being charged with mischief over $5000 for allegedly being leaders of the protest.
The Coutts blockade was an 18-day peaceful demonstration against government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions held at the border of Coutts, Alberta and Sweet Grass, Montana in early 2022.
Halting millions of dollars in trade and occurring concurrently with the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, the protest proved to be one of the most impactful Canada has seen in decades.
Rebel News reporter Robert Kraychik is on the ground at the Lethbridge courthouse, providing independent reporting on the trials of three of the men charged by the RCMP at the Coutts blockade.
Follow along below for live updates from the trial:
Wielgosz testifies that there were several factions among the Coutts demonstrators, which he also stated in previous testimony. One of the Crown’s central claims is that the Coutts Three defendants constituted the protesters’ leadership with a degree of control over the group.
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 8, 2024
Many of the demonstrators at Coutts – and many of their political/philosophical freedom-minded supporters around this part of southern Alberta – have Dutch backgrounds. It’s something worth further exploration in terms of cultural influences on politics. https://t.co/mIhJKvGq4E
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 8, 2024
Wielgosz testifies that he was aware of @ArturPawlowski1‘s presence at the Coutts protest on either January 29th or 30th, and that the pastor led a sermon and prayer with demonstrators. He adds that Artur’s brother, Dawid, referred to him as “the Gestapo”. https://t.co/KGVQVALjFW
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 8, 2024
Coutts Three trial – Marco Van Huigenbos, Alex Van Herk, George Janzen – resuming in minutes in Lethbridge, AB. Justice Keith Yamauchi just entered. Cross-examination of Crown witness RCMP officer Mark Wielgosz – who liased with the defendants during the protest – will continue.
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 8, 2024
