A legal advocacy group is defending three men from Lethbridge, who face mischief charges related to protests in Coutts, AB, in February 2022.The Democracy Fund (TDF) is funding Marco Van Huigenbos, Alex Van Herk and George Janzen for charges of mischief above $5,000. All three are alleged to have led the 17-day trucker protest against COVID-19 restrictions that shut down the Coutts crossing to the US in February 2022.The matter is expected to proceed to a jury trial after pretrial applications are heard through March 1. Jury trials are only available for serious criminal matters where the accused faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment or more.The 'Coutts Three' should not be confused with the 'Coutts Four', who were among the twelve persons arrested in connection to an RCMP raid that resulted in the seizure of weapons and the end of the protest. According to Van Huigenbos, the message of the Coutts protesters “had been lost” following the arrests and the border blockade was voluntarily dismantled.A publication ban is in place on the proceedings, thanks to a Supreme Court of Canada ruling last October. The ruling made publication bans on pre-trial matters automatic and required.Van Huigenbos, a former Fort McLeod town councillor, spoke to independent journalist Mocha Bezirgan February 26.."The reason we were there is we had a tyrannical government, well we know now, implemented illegal mandates and health measures. Where's the accountability for those who were in positions of responsibility at that time? There's been none, not even a reprimand. There's been no charges," Van Huigenbos said.The Ingram decision said the public health orders were illegal because they were done at the approval of the Jason Kenney UCP cabinet instead of Public Health Officer Deena Hinshaw.Van Huigenbos said the Coutts blockade sparked a fire that led to Kenney's downfall. Asked if he believes his charges are politically motivated, Van Huigenbos said, "100 per cent," adding, "I think we can be thankful for the brave men and women, the truckers, the farmers across this country and in this province that stood up against an oppressive regime."The Coutts blockade of 17 days, which started January 29, 2022, blocked an estimated $44 million of trade per day, costing the Lethbridge economy alone $3 million per day. But Van Huigenbos said the cost of the mandates was higher."The lives they've destroyed, the businesses they've destroyed. People want to talk about the cost of the Coutts blockade. What about the costs of Covid? Where's the accountability for that, the lives lost. we're facing an affordability crisis. We're facing a mental health crisis, we're facing a health crisis. That can get all tied back to Covid," Van Huigenbos said.Van Huigenbos said regardless of what comes of his trial, he will stand by his actions."We're facing this and regardless of the outcome, nothing changes for me. Nothing changes in relation to my position and that's something that at times may be tough. But I know why I was there and that feeling is as strong as it was then."I was there for my family, for the future of my family, for my kids. I was there standing up to tyranny, standing up to illegal behaviour, oppressive behaviour," Van Huigenbos said."I hope there will always be brave men and women to stand up to what is illegal, because when there isn't, that is when society will fail."Van Huigenbos has shared more on Twitter ("X") in recent days, as seen below.
A legal advocacy group is defending three men from Lethbridge, who face mischief charges related to protests in Coutts, AB, in February 2022.The Democracy Fund (TDF) is funding Marco Van Huigenbos, Alex Van Herk and George Janzen for charges of mischief above $5,000. All three are alleged to have led the 17-day trucker protest against COVID-19 restrictions that shut down the Coutts crossing to the US in February 2022.The matter is expected to proceed to a jury trial after pretrial applications are heard through March 1. Jury trials are only available for serious criminal matters where the accused faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment or more.The 'Coutts Three' should not be confused with the 'Coutts Four', who were among the twelve persons arrested in connection to an RCMP raid that resulted in the seizure of weapons and the end of the protest. According to Van Huigenbos, the message of the Coutts protesters “had been lost” following the arrests and the border blockade was voluntarily dismantled.A publication ban is in place on the proceedings, thanks to a Supreme Court of Canada ruling last October. The ruling made publication bans on pre-trial matters automatic and required.Van Huigenbos, a former Fort McLeod town councillor, spoke to independent journalist Mocha Bezirgan February 26.."The reason we were there is we had a tyrannical government, well we know now, implemented illegal mandates and health measures. Where's the accountability for those who were in positions of responsibility at that time? There's been none, not even a reprimand. There's been no charges," Van Huigenbos said.The Ingram decision said the public health orders were illegal because they were done at the approval of the Jason Kenney UCP cabinet instead of Public Health Officer Deena Hinshaw.Van Huigenbos said the Coutts blockade sparked a fire that led to Kenney's downfall. Asked if he believes his charges are politically motivated, Van Huigenbos said, "100 per cent," adding, "I think we can be thankful for the brave men and women, the truckers, the farmers across this country and in this province that stood up against an oppressive regime."The Coutts blockade of 17 days, which started January 29, 2022, blocked an estimated $44 million of trade per day, costing the Lethbridge economy alone $3 million per day. But Van Huigenbos said the cost of the mandates was higher."The lives they've destroyed, the businesses they've destroyed. People want to talk about the cost of the Coutts blockade. What about the costs of Covid? Where's the accountability for that, the lives lost. we're facing an affordability crisis. We're facing a mental health crisis, we're facing a health crisis. That can get all tied back to Covid," Van Huigenbos said.Van Huigenbos said regardless of what comes of his trial, he will stand by his actions."We're facing this and regardless of the outcome, nothing changes for me. Nothing changes in relation to my position and that's something that at times may be tough. But I know why I was there and that feeling is as strong as it was then."I was there for my family, for the future of my family, for my kids. I was there standing up to tyranny, standing up to illegal behaviour, oppressive behaviour," Van Huigenbos said."I hope there will always be brave men and women to stand up to what is illegal, because when there isn't, that is when society will fail."Van Huigenbos has shared more on Twitter ("X") in recent days, as seen below.
