Freedom Convoy Leaders Avoid Prison but Condemned for Peaceful Protest
Freedom Convoy organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber have both received 18-month conditional sentences for their roles in the peaceful 2022 protest in Ottawa that brought international attention to Canada’s COVID-19 mandates.
Justice Heather Perkins-McVey credited both leaders for their non-violent conduct, acknowledging that Barber “came with the noblest of intent and did not advocate for violence.”
The court also noted there was no property damage or intent to harm critical infrastructure.
Lich’s sentence includes 12 months of house arrest followed by curfew and 100 hours of community service, to be served in Alberta. Barber will serve his term in Saskatchewan under similar restrictions.
The Crown had sought prison terms of seven years for Lich and eight years for Barber, a demand widely viewed as excessive and politically motivated given the peaceful nature of the protest.
Lich’s legal team, supported by The Democracy Fund, confirmed plans to appeal her conviction and sentence, stating that her punishment “imposes significant restrictions on liberty for actions that were fundamentally peaceful.”
Barber’s defence, funded by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, said the decision still “sends a chilling message to Canadians who peacefully exercise their Charter rights.”
Both organizations emphasized that the 2022 Freedom Convoy was a non-violent demonstration, rooted in defending civil liberties and opposing government overreach.
Sources: The Democracy Fund, Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms
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