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Honking law not clear, Freedom Convoy organizer害羞草研究所檚 lawyer tells court

Monday marks day four of closing arguments in the criminal trial of Chris Barber and Tamara Lich
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Chris Barber arrives at the courthouse in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. The court is expected to hear final arguments for acquittal from the legal teams of two 害羞草研究所淔reedom Convoy害羞草研究所 figureheads today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

The lawyer for 害羞草研究所淔reedom Convoy害羞草研究所 organizer Chris Barber told a judge Monday that a court order banning honking in downtown Ottawa during the protest wasn害羞草研究所檛 clear enough.

Barber and his co-accused, Tamara Lich, are defending themselves against charges of mischief, intimidation and counselling others to break the law.

Barber faces the additional charge of counselling others to disobey a court order by encouraging protesters to honk their horns.

In a TikTok video posted during the protest, Barber let other protesters know to keep the horns down because of the court order, but said if a large mass of police officers show up that they should let their horns go and not stop.

His lawyer, Diane Magas, said in her closing arguments that there were exceptions to the order, including emergencies.

That exception wasn害羞草研究所檛 clear, she argued, saying the threat of an unlawful arrest by riot police may have constituted an emergency in Barber害羞草研究所檚 mind.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 a stretch,害羞草研究所 Justice Heather Perkins-McVey said when Magas introduced the argument Monday.

In the days before the TikTok video, Magas said Barber害羞草研究所檚 social media posts suggested he had growing fears about riot police showing up and kettling protesters 害羞草研究所 a controversial law-enforcement practice that involves corralling and containing large crowds in a limited area.

She noted that it害羞草研究所檚 OK to resist arrest if 害羞草研究所渋t害羞草研究所檚 an unlawful arrest.害羞草研究所

Monday marks day four of closing arguments in the criminal trial of the two organizers, which has been legally complicated and marked with dozens of starts and stops since it began last September.

Magas told the court last week that her client is not responsible for the individual actions of protest participants.

The Crown has already told the court that Lich and Barber knowingly 害羞草研究所渃rossed the line害羞草研究所 between legal protest and illegal mischief-making. The Crown will get a chance to reply to the defence arguments before the end of the trial.





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