Key figure in Freedom Convoy argues police, city failed residents at trial

An Ottawa police officer responsible for engaging with protesters attending what became the 2022 Freedom Convoy described crowds that were at times «hostile» and «confrontational» during the criminal trial of one of the protest's key figures, Pat King.

But the officer told the court he didn't know what the Ottawa Police Service's «end game» was until protesters were entrenched — and only a few days before law enforcement started moving to arrest supporters of the convoy in a major police action on Feb.18, 2022.

King pleaded not guilty to mischief, intimidation and seven other charges in relation to his role in the protests that gridlocked large swaths of the nation's capital.

During the second week of trial, acting Sgt. Jordan Blonde said a team of police liaison officers acting as a conduit between authorities and protesters tried using a «measured approach» to warn protesters to go.

Police unable to enforce laws

His team was given messaging to do this from senior officers beginning on Feb. 15, the same day Ottawa Police Service former chief Peter Sloly resigned.

Blonde told the court prior to that date, police officers didn't have any consequences to detail to protesters who had chosen to stay in the city — despite state of emergency declarations by the city, province and, eventually, on Feb. 14, the use of the Emergencies Act by the federal government.

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He said there was a «myriad of laws being broken» by people drinking alcohol openly, blocking streets, having open fires and other illegal activities but admitted to not seeing any tickets issued, arrests made or trucks towed until after the police operation began on Feb. 18.

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