“Freedom Convoy” organizer Tamara Lich is back out of jail on bail after being arrested in early July for allegedly violating her previous bail conditions.
Ontario Superior Court Judge Andrew Goodman granted Lich another bail hearing after he ruled that the previous July 8 warrant for Lich’s arrest was “clearly inappropriate.”
Read more: ‘Freedom Convoy’ organizer Tamara Lich returns to court for bail review
Lich was arrested again after having contact with protest leader Tom Marazzo at an awards show in Toronto last month. The Crown argued the contact breached Lich’s bail conditions, as he had been ordered not to communicate with key organizers of the convoy except through or in the presence of a lawyer.
In court Monday, Lich’s attorney, Lawrence Greenspon, argued that the two organizers did nothing more than shake hands and pose for a photo together at the gala hosted by the Justice Center for Liberties Constitutional Courts, where he received a “Freedom Award” for his role during the convoy that occupied downtown Ottawa for weeks in February. The occupation was in protest of COVID-19 restrictions, including vaccine mandates for workplaces and truck drivers.
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0:34 Convoy protest organizer Tamara Lich arrested, lawyer says Convoy protest organizer Tamara Lich arrested, lawyer says – June 28, 2022
Goodman said Justice of the Peace Paul Harris had drawn the “wrong” conclusions and “misconstrued” the evidence against Lich when he ruled he was in breach of his bail conditions.
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Lich will be released on Tuesday after spending more than 48 days in jail. He faces charges of mischief, obstructing police, counseling others to commit harm and intimidation. Lich is scheduled to appear in court again on July 28.
Goodman cautioned Lich to abide by her bail conditions, as he does not expect her to be released a third time if her bond is called into question again.
About a dozen of Lich’s supporters were seen gathered by a white pickup truck parked next to the courthouse where he appeared to be broadcasting the proceedings live over a loudspeaker.
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“Thank you, judge,” shouted one supporter upon learning of the decision. “She’s coming out!”
— with archives from Marc-André Cossette and The Canadian Press
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