'An attack on the rule of law:' Convoy protest leader Pat King denied bail
Pat King, one of the leaders of the 'Freedom Convoy' protest in Ottawa, has been denied bail.
In his ruling, Justice of the Peace Andrew Seymour said the evidence of King's participation and leadership role in the protest is "overwhelming," calling his alleged offences “an attack on the rule of law.”
King, 44, was among the most visible leaders of the three-week occupation. He faces charges of mischief, counselling to commit mischief, counselling to commit the offence of disobeying a court order and counselling to obstruct police.
He was arrested last Friday in Ottawa, which he captured on a Facebook livestream, and has been in custody since.
Seymour said he believed there is a substantial likelihood King would commit offences similar to the ones he's accused of if he were released from custody.
Seymour called the evidence of King's leadership and participation in the convoy "overwhelming," citing his videos on social media before and during the occupation.
"That evidence paints a portrait of an individual who has clear intention to continue his protests and is indifferent to the consequences," he ruled.
He also questioned the credibility of King's proposed surety, Kerry Komix, who met King four weeks ago while accompanying him to Ottawa for the protest. Komix pledged $50,000 to guarantee King's bail, saying he would live in a spare room of her Alberta home and wear an electronic tracking bracelet.
But Seymour noted that King was accepting no financial risk of his own were he to breach his conditions.
In a thorough 15-page ruling, Seymour also laid out the impact of the convoy protests on downtown residents, saying it caused "significant distress" and calling the occupation of Ottawa's downtown core "unprecedented in Canadian history."
"The impact of what can only be described as an occupation was significant and widespread," he said. "It shook Ottawans and Canadians' faith in institutions such as government and the police to protect them. The alleged offences are extraordinarly serious.
"In short, it is an overwhelming case."
King is due back in court on March 18. He was also forbidden from communicating with other convoy organizers, including Chris Barber and Tamara Lich.
Lich was denied bail on Tuesday by an Ontario court judge. She remains in custody.
Earlier on Friday, the Crown applied to reopen the bail hearing to present new evidence about King's alleged purchase of a handgun while out on bail on a previous charge in 2016.
However, Seymour denied that application, saying the potential unfairness and delay that would result from reopening the hearing outweighed the potential value of the material.
You can read Justice of the Peace Seymour's full ruling below.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6979388.1722030190!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Celine Dion delivers stirring comeback performance at Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Against the rainy Paris night sky, Celine Dion staged the comeback of her career with a powerful performance from the Eiffel Tower to open the Olympic Games.
Jasper wildfire: 'Several weeks' before residents can return, premier says
Premier Danielle Smith said Friday afternoon in Hinton while weather conditions are cooler, the Jasper fire is still considered out of control and that Jasper residents can expect to be away from their homes 'for several weeks.'
Missing 3-year-old boy found dead in creek in Mississauga: police
A three-year-old boy has been found dead a day after he went missing in a park in Mississauga, Peel police say.
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn for $146,000 water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six-figure water bill.
Turpel-Lafond won't sue CBC over Cree heritage report that took 'heavy toll': lawyer
The lawyer for a former judge whose claims to be Cree were questioned in a CBC investigation says his client is not considering legal action against the broadcaster after the Law Society of British Columbia this week backed her claims of Indigenous heritage.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Major Canadian bank experiences direct deposit outage on payday
Scotiabank says it has fixed a technical issue that impacted direct deposits on Friday morning.
Health Canada warns some naloxone kits contain false instructions
Health Canada is warning some take-home naloxone kits come with bad instructions that should be ignored in favour of the correct guidance.