Defence disputes accused was leader at Coutts border blockade: ‘He was a messenger’
Global News
A lawyer for one of three men on trial for their roles in the border blockade at Coutts, Alta., argued Thursday his client was nothing more than a messenger.
A lawyer for one of three men on trial for their roles in the border blockade at Coutts, Alta., argued Thursday his client was nothing more than a messenger.
Crown prosecutors have told jurors they intend to prove the trio spearheaded the protest that tied up traffic at the Canada-United States border crossing for two weeks in early 2022 to protest COVID-19 pandemic rules and restrictions.
Alex Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos and Gerhard Janzen have each pleaded not guilty to a charge of mischief over $5,000.
RCMP Sgt. Greg Tulloch has testified he worked to establish a dialogue with the protesters and identified Van Huigenbos as the main contact.
During his cross-examination of Tulloch, a lawyer for Van Huigenbos questioned whether his client really was a leader or if, like the officer, he was simply a conduit delivering messages to those in charge.
“Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘Don’t shoot the messenger?’ I’m going to suggest that’s really what Marco was here. He was a messenger, a communicator, a spokesperson for the group — not a leader,” lawyer Ryan Durran told the jury trial.
Tulloch replied: “That’s far too simplified from the impression I was left with, because when things were happening, they happened immediately after Marco said he would do something or transmit a message.”
Durran said Van Huigenbos was not considered an “agitator” and did not have a semi-trailer truck parked at the protest.
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