Three men accused of leading and coordinating the COVID-19 protest blockade at Coutts, Alta., in 2022 have been found guilty of mischief. Alex Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos, and Gerhard (George) Janzen were convicted of one count each of mischief over $5,000 after jurors deliberated for three hours.
The trio’s supporters packed the courtroom and gasped in surprise when the verdict was announced. The blockade at Coutts tied up cross-border traffic between Canada and the United States for two weeks in early 2022 in protest of COVID-19 rules and restrictions.
Despite the guilty verdict, the three men remained defiant. Van Huigenbos and Janzen embraced outside the court, with Van Huigenbos expressing hope that they would be put in the same spot again. Van Herk, while initially shocked by the verdict, accepted it, stating that he was proud of participating in Coutts and holding politicians accountable.
The maximum sentence for public mischief over $5,000 is 10 years in prison. Van Huigenbos expressed concern about the impact of jail time on his family, while Van Herk said he would do it all over again to show politicians what is right.
The case is scheduled to appear again on July 22 for a sentencing hearing. The Crown argued that the accused were key players in the blockade and spoke on behalf of protesters, while the defence maintained that they were not guilty as the protest involved numerous protesters with differing opinions.