Mischief trial begins for three men charged in Alberta COVID-19 border blockade
![Coutts border blockade The truck convoy of anti-COVID-19 vaccine mandate demonstrators block the highway at the busy border crossing in Coutts, Alta., Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/4/3/coutts-border-blockade-1-6831780-1712150555217.jpg)
A Crown prosecutor said Wednesday that the trial for three men charged over their roles in an Alberta border blockade two years ago has nothing to do with their beliefs or right to protest.
Marco Van Huigenbos, Alex Van Herk and Gerhard Janzen have each pleaded not guilty to mischief over $5,000.
Prosecutor Steven Johnston told the jury in his opening statement that the three played a "key role" in blocking the highway at Canada-U.S. border at Coutts, Alta., in 2022.
The protest over COVID-19 pandemic health restrictions ground traffic to a halt at Alberta’s main border crossing with Montana.
"Many people were affected by COVID-19 and responses to it. This prosecution is not about that," Johnston said.
"This trial is not about people's personal feelings about COVID. This not a trial about the right to protest."
Johnston said a person cannot obstruct the use of a highway in order to achieve a goal.
"The Crown does not allege that these three men before you committed a single act of violence," he said.
"What the Crown alleges is that they, as part of a larger group, interfered with the use of a large highway in southern Alberta for approximately two weeks. Effectively, they had gained a control valve on Highway 4, the highway that belongs to the province."
The prosecutor said evidence will show the three men were leaders of the blockade and had final say over what happened. After 15 days, a video message the men posted online asking protesters to go home accomplished what Mounties could not.
"The protest ended shortly thereafter," Johnston said. "They were the group that had the ability to turn off and on the blockade."
Jim Willett, the former mayor of Coutts, was called as the first witness in the trial.
Willett said Coutts is the only 24-hour crossing to the U.S. from Alberta and a busy route for truckers and tourists.
"There's literally hundreds of millions of dollars of commerce that pass through every year," Willett said.
"This highway is a major commerce thoroughfare. If you shut that down, you shut down all the commerce."
Willett said he contacted police when he started seeing posts that a convoy was to coming through Coutts, a village of about 200.
"There could be a lot of strangers, lock your doors and keep your kids off the street," he said he told residents.
"At the start, it was a fairly rowdy situation and not a lot of strategy."
Willett said he was concerned about the convoy affecting residents' access to grocery stores and medical clinics outside Coutts, since the village doesn't have those services.
He said he met with one of the blockade organizers at Smugglers, a former bar used as a gathering point for the protesters.
Willett wanted to find out what their plan was and how long they would be in his community.
"There was little I could do. As a small town mayor, I don't have a lot of authority," he said.
Justice Keith Yamauchi told the jury that the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
"You are the judges of the facts … not lawyers, not investigators," Yamauchi said.
"It is important that you not form your opinions before you hear all the evidence."
The trial is scheduled to run until April 19.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 3, 2024
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
LIVE UPDATES Critical infrastructure 'successfully protected': Jasper park officials
Jasper National Park officials in an update said all critical infrastructure in the townsite has been 'successfully protected, including the hospital, emergency services building, both elementary and junior/senior schools, activity centre and wastewater treatment plant.'
Canadian Olympic Committee removes women's soccer team's head coach over drone scandal
The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed women's national soccer team head coach Bev Priestman over a drone scandal, according to a press release from the organization.
Yukon woman narrowly escapes bear attack, credits hair clip
A woman in Yukon believes her hair clip helped save her during a bear attack.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
'I was just shocked': Jasper lodge owner on seeing property destroyed by wildfire
On Wednesday night, the owner of Maligne Lodge in Jasper, Alta., was shocked to receive a photo of her business engulfed in flames.
Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond likely has Indigenous DNA: report
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.
U.S. authorities have arrested 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel
Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of another infamous cartel leader, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas on Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department said.
Harris pushes Netanyahu to ease suffering in Gaza: 'I will not be silent'
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to help reach a Gaza ceasefire deal that would ease the suffering of Palestinian civilians, striking a tougher tone than President Joe Biden.
'She led it the whole way': 18-year-old B.C. woman leads hikers to safety in Jasper National Park
As fire threatened people in Jasper National Park, Colleen Knull sprung into action.