Convoy organizer Tamara Lich accused of having a 'selective' memory of whether she was told to leave protest
CBC
A lawyer for the Ottawa Police Service accused Tamara Lich — one of the more prominent people involved in the anti-COVID-19 restriction convoy protest — of having a selective memory last winter's events during a tense moment of cross-examination Friday morning.
The Medicine Hat, Alta. woman is appearing before the Public Order Emergency Commission, which is reviewing the federal government's decision to invoke the never-before-used Emergencies Act to clear the crowds and vehicles that blocked parts of Ottawa's downtown for three weeks.
At issue is Lich's claim that she was never directly told to leave Ottawa during last winter's protests.
Lawyer David Migicovsky pushed back, showing her a police log saying that a police liaison team (PLT) told demonstrators that they needed to leave and met with Lich and other organizers on Feb. 16.
"PLT advised them to depart and message this out to others," said the log.
"All understood messaging."
Lich said she remembers becoming upset.
"I believe I said something to the effect of, 'I cannot believe that you're about to do this to your own people,'" she said. "I was crying because of what they were proposing to do to Canadian citizens."
Lich said she was never told to leave and felt the message to depart was a suggestion.
"It seems to me your memory is selective," said Migicovsky. "When I take you to something that implicates you, you have no memory."
Lich's lawyer Brendan Miller objected, calling the comments inflammatory.
"That's not a proper question," said an audibly frustrated Miller.
"I'll move on," said Migicovsky.
Lich testified that she was under the impression she would be allowed to stay if she remained peaceful.
