Charges against a protester at the 2022 Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, who had his bank accounts frozen, have been dropped by an Ottawa judge. Evan Blackman pleaded not guilty to charges of obstructing police and mischief. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) was representing Mr. Blackman in the case.
According to a news release by the JCCF, the judge dismissed all charges against Mr. Blackman due to limited evidence and the poor memory of the police officer regarding key details of the alleged criminal offenses. Lawyer Chris Fleury expressed satisfaction with the outcome and stated that Mr. Blackman can finally put this matter behind him after almost 20 months.
The evidence against Mr. Blackman included a 14-minute drone video without audio and the testimony of a police officer at the scene, as mentioned by the JCCF. The video showed Mr. Blackman standing with other protesters face-to-face against police officers on Rideau Street. He was also seen trying to prevent protesters from confronting the police. The video captured him kneeling in front of the police, taking off his hat, placing his hand on his chest, and singing “O Canada.”
In addition to Mr. Blackman’s case, Freedom Convoy organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber are currently on trial in an Ontario court. They face charges of counseling to disobey a court order, counseling to obstruct police, and mischief that interferes with the use and enjoyment of property in connection to the protests. Ms. Lich was also charged with violating her bail terms, but the Crown prosecutors stayed that charge on Oct. 23, citing the prolonged duration of the trial. The trial is set to resume on Oct. 31.
The report includes contributions by Matthew Horwood and The Canadian Press.