'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
Israel gave U.S. last-minute warning about drone attack on Iran, Italian foreign minister says at G7
The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received 'last minute' information from Israel about a drone action in Iran, but didn't participate in the apparent attack, officials said.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.