'A reality that I face': Two Coutts protesters face jail for part in 2022 blockade
CTV
Two men who became the faces of a COVID-19 protest blockade at a key border crossing between Alberta and the United States nearly three years ago will learn their fates Friday.
Two men who became the faces of a COVID-19 protest blockade at a key border crossing between Alberta and the United States nearly three years ago will learn their fates Friday.
Gerhard (George) Janzen and Marco Van Huigenbos, along with a third man, Alex Van Herk, were found guilty last year of mischief over $5,000 for their actions at the protest over COVID-19 measures and vaccine mandates.
The sentencing hearing went ahead for Van Huigenbos and Janzen Thursday. Lawyer Michael Johnston told court that Van Herk had fired him. He requested a 30-day delay.
The Crown has recommended a nine-month sentence for Van Huigenbos and six months for Janzen because he played a lesser leadership role in the blockade.
Janzen addressed the court at the end of the day, offering an apology for the residents of Milk River and Coutts and for the stress the blockade caused. He said the intention was to cause change through peaceful means and not by breaking laws.
"The decision to participate in the blockade was driven by strong convictions. However, I regret that our methods obstructed the lives of our community members and brought unwelcome stress and chaos," Janzen said, reading from a prepared statement.
"I'm committed to learning from this experience and seeking more constructive and law-abiding ways to express my views in the future."
