Lawyer for Convoy Organizer Chris Barber Disputes Mischief Charge Related to Honking

OTTAWA—The defence for Freedom Convoy organizer Chris Barber continued with its closing arguments on Aug. 19, arguing that his directive to protesters to honk following a court injunction was not counselling to commit mischief. Barber and Tamara Lich are on trial for mischief, intimidation, and counselling others to break the law in connection with the trucker protest in early 2022. Barber is also accused of counselling others to disobey a court order. The protest saw hundreds of vehicles gather in the streets of downtown Ottawa to protest COVID-19-related public health restrictions and vaccine mandates. During their closing arguments on Aug. 13 and 14, Crown lawyers said that Lich and Barber “crossed the line,” using unlawful means to pursue their political goals, and that the case against the two is “overwhelming.” The Crown has also said the pair conspired together so closely that evidence used against one of them should apply to both, which is known in Canadian law as a Carter application....