Freedom Convoy organizers Lich, Barber facing new charges
Prominent organizers of the 'Freedom Convoy' occupation of downtown Ottawa are facing new criminal charges.
Tamara Lich and Chris Barber are now jointly charged with mischief, counselling mischief, intimidation, counselling intimidation, counselling obstruction of police and obstructing police.
Both were arrested on Feb. 17, a day before police began moving in to clear demonstrators from downtown Ottawa streets.
Barber was released on bail the next day. Lich was released on bail on March 7.
Barber had previously been charged with counselling to commit mischief, counselling to disobey a court order, counselling to obstruct police and mischief. Lich was previously charged with counselling mischief.
Another prominent leader of the protest, Pat King, is also facing new charges after appearing in court Thursday afternoon.
King, who remains in custody at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre, now faces 10 charges along with a co-accused, Tyson George Billings. Those include two counts each of intimidation and obstructing police.
The three-week occupation cost the city of Ottawa an estimated $36.6 million, the majority of which was for the police response.
A parliamentary committee heard Thursday that the OPP identified the demonstration as a national security threat one week before the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act.
- with files from Glen McGregor, CTV National News
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