Canadian protest organizer denied bail

A judge in Canada on Tuesday denied bail to Tamara Lich, one of the lead organizers of the “Freedom Convoy” protests against COVID-19 restrictions in the country.

Ontario Court Justice Julie Bourgeois denied the organizer bail, saying there was substantial reason to believe that Lich would repeat her offenses, according to The Associated Press. 

Lich was a leader in the protests, which disrupted traffic in Ottawa for weeks and resulted in blockades of multiple border crossings between the U.S. and Canada, including the Ambassador Bridge, which sees more than 25 percent of the trade between the two countries, according to the AP.

On Thursday, Lich, who was formerly a member of the far-right Maverick Party, which calls for the independence of western Canada, was arrested and charged with counseling to commit mischief. She had promised to return to Alberta and stop her support for the protests during a bail hearing on Saturday, the AP reported.

Pat King, another protest leader who was arrested Friday, is set to have a bail hearing on Tuesday. King faces charges of mischief, counseling to commit mischief, counseling to commit the offense of disobeying a court order and counseling to obstruct police, according to the wire service.

The protests have concluded after police conducted their largest operation in Canadian history, including making nearly 200 arrests and towing more than 100 vehicles in order to end the disruptions, the AP reported. 

Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would invoke Canada’s Emergencies Act, which permits the federal government to use a broad range of powers, including military power, to restore order.