The verdict in the trial of Pat King, a central figure in the Freedom Convoy protests that paralyzed downtown Ottawa in early 2022, will be handed down Friday morning.
King faces multiple charges including criminal mischief, intimidation and abetting another person’s crime. High Court Judge Charles Hackland will now decide whether King’s actions crossed legal boundaries.
If convicted, Dr. King could face serious penalties, including up to 10 years in prison.
During three weeks of testimony this spring and summer, Dr. King maintained that he was innocent. However, the two sides had very different views on his role during the protests.
At the heart of this incident was an issue of leadership. Although the king maintains that King’s influence is undeniable, King’s defense has argued that King does not control the convoy.
His lawyer, Natasha Calviño, argued that police and the government “barricaded” protesters in downtown Ottawa to prevent them from leaving the city. She also pointed to a moment when King told his supporters to remain peaceful and cooperate with authorities.
The Crown portrayed King as a leader.
As with the other cases against people in the motorcade, the Crown will continue to file charges against social media, including some posts in which Martin Luther King Jr. directed truck drivers to honk their horns, despite a court injunction in downtown Ottawa. showed extensive evidence of
Another video shows Mr. King organizing a “slow roll” near the Ottawa International Airport, and other clips show Mr. King helping a truck block Wellington Street and stopping when police tried to enter. He was shown asking his supporters to sit down.
Some of the police officers and protesters who testified said that although King is seen as a leader, he downplays that role, calling himself a promoter.
King’s arrest in February 2022 made headlines when it was livestreamed on social media. His bail procedures were also controversial.
King, who had been in prison due to concerns about recidivism and violation of conditions, was finally released in July 2022 under strict conditions, including a ban on using social media and organizing protests.
King’s bail conditions were again in the spotlight in August 2023, when he was briefly jailed for allegedly violating his bail conditions. He denied the charges but was remanded in custody and released a week later with stricter restrictions.
This decision marks a pivotal moment in the legal implications of the Freedom Convoy case, which attracted international attention and led to the federal government’s unprecedented invocation of emergency laws.
Several of King’s supporters are expected to be in the Ottawa courthouse when the hearing begins at 9:30 a.m. Friday.
