Convoy protests: King, Lich to remain in custody as bail hearing moved to Tuesday

Two of the leading figures behind an anti-government protest on Parliament Hill, Pat King and Tamara Lich, will be appearing in court for their bail hearing on Tuesday.

Ottawa police say King, 44, faces charges of mischief, counselling to commit mischief, counselling to commit the offence of disobeying a court order and counselling to obstruct police.

King, who hails from Red Deer, Alta., livestreamed his own arrest on Facebook on Friday, and he remains in jail until his bail hearing Tuesday.

King is among the more than 100 people police say they have arrested as part of a massive police operation to clear demonstrators who have been blockading Parliament Hill for nearly four weeks.

READ MORE: Ottawa police say convoy blockade ‘aggressive,’ one arrested after gas launched

Lich already appeared in court Saturday — wearing a mask — for her bail hearing but an Ontario judge said she will decide on Tuesday whether to grant bail to Lich.

That means the 49-year-old Alberta woman will be returned to the local Ottawa detention centre until then.

Lich, who has been in jail since Thursday night, was charged with counselling to commit mischief in connection with the protests.

Lich testified she just wants to return to Alberta to be with her husband and kids, and pledged a $5,000 bond, saying that was all she could afford.

She promised to leave Ottawa by vehicle and give up her advocacy of the protest, saying she would need several days to make those arrangements because she does not have the required vaccine passport enabling her to fly and because her bank accounts are now frozen.

Ontario Court Justice Julie Bourgeois says she wants to take the time necessary to render a decision.

The other protest organizer– Chris Barber– was arrested Thursday on charges of counselling to commit mischief faces charges of counselling to disobey a court order and obstructing police. An Ontario Court granted Barber bail.

2:38 Officers from across Canada assist Ottawa police to dismantle ‘Freedom Convoy’ blockades

Justice Julie Bourgeois released Barber on a $100,000 bond and on the conditions that he leaves Ontario by next Wednesday and not publicly endorse the convoy or have any contact with the other major protest organizers.

King, Lich and other organizers of the so-called ‘Freedom Convoy’ 2022 protests also saw a temporary freeze to their bank accounts — including Bitcoin and cryptocurrency funds — following an Ontario Superior Court ruling on Thursday.

Police say so far at least 21 vehicles were towed Friday as hundreds of officers — some of them on horseback — fanned out across the area to take back the streets from the hundreds of big rigs and trucks that have been idling there for weeks.

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The well-coordinated police action began peacefully Friday, but, as the day wore on, tensions escalated with the police accusing protesters of assaulting officers, trying to take their weapons, and in one case throwing a bicycle at a police horse. Some protesters claimed they were assaulted by officers.

Ottawa police interim chief Steve Bell told a Friday evening news conference that clearing the area would take time, but the operation was “deliberate and methodical” and police were in control on the ground.

He said no serious injuries had been reported, and those arrested had been charged with various offences including mischief, adding that police were still urging demonstrators to leave peacefully.

Meanwhile, inside the House of Commons on Saturday, MPs will resume debate on the use of the Emergencies Act to respond to the illegal blockades. The debate began on Thursday, but Government House leader Mark Holland said in a Twitter post that House leaders from all parties agreed to cancel Friday’s session on the advice of parliamentary security.

Holland said MPs will vote early next week on the Emergencies Act motion.