After executing a slow roll to the U.S.-Canada border town of Coutts, Alberta, to mark the third-year anniversary of the blockade, supporters gathered in Lethbridge to raise funds for the people jailed as a result of their participation in the anti-COVID-19 mandate blockade known as the Coutts border blockade.
"We protested, we stood up to our government, and our government is punishing us by putting our people in jail," summarized a participant.
The individuals convicted over their roles in the Coutts border blockade are Alex Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos, and Gerhard (George) Janzen. They were found guilty of mischief for "organizing" the blockade which protested COVID-19 rules and vaccine mandates.
Huigenbos, a former Fort Macleod city councillor is currently serving his 120 day jail sentence.
In a separate case related to the same events, Anthony (Tony) Olienick, Chris Carbert, Chris Lysak, and Jerry Morin were charged with conspiracy to commit murder on police officers but were found not guilty of that charge. Olienick and Carbert, however, were convicted of firearms violations and mischief, with both receiving sentences of 6.5 years.
The four men were held in remand for almost two years due to the conspiracy to murder charge from which they were eventually acquitted. Supporters argued that they were political prisoners being made examples of with overblown charges.
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