Pat King Sentenced to 3 Months of House Arrest for Role in Freedom Convoy Protest

Image credits: The Canadian Press

Pat King, one of the main organizers of the 2022 Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa, has been sentenced to three months of house arrest by a judge who stated that the 10-year sentence sought by the Crown would have a chilling effect on participation in political expression. Mr. King will serve his three months, then 12 months probation, and also complete 100 hours of community service at a food bank or men’s shelter. The sentence comes after Mr. King spent nine months in custody before and during a trial in which the judge found him guilty of five counts, including two of disobeying a court order, and one each of mischief, counselling to commit mischief, and counselling to obstruct a public or peace officer.

Justice Charles Hackland of the Ontario Superior Court factored in the time Mr. King spent in custody and his efforts to cool the situation, including an online call for activists to leave downtown Ottawa and regroup at a rural location west of the city. The judge noted that Mr. King was on the periphery of the leadership group of the protest once it arrived in Ottawa, and that his online content urged those tuning in to avoid violence and obey the law, calls that “may have helped to mitigate or contain what could have been a far worse situation.” In a rebuttal of the Crown's call for a decade-long sentence for Mr. King, the judge said he did not accept the Crown's characterization of the convoy as the worst case of protest on a sliding scale of seriousness and moral culpability.

The judge cautioned against going in that direction, stating that an overly severe sentence of imprisonment in the context of legitimate, constitutionally protected activity can have the effect of creating a chill or fear of participation in political expression. Judge Hackland said the protest concerns about perceived government overreach in the form of COVID-19 mandates and other vaccine issues remain the subject of legitimate public discourse. After the proceedings, supporters hugged Mr. King in the courtroom, but he declined to comment when asked by journalists about the sentence due to his bail conditions.

Mr. King's lawyer, Natasha Calvinho, praised the judge's ruling, stating that if Mr. King was sentenced to 10 years in jail, which is what the Crown was asking, they would essentially be making him a political prisoner. She said that Mr. King was being blamed for the misdeeds of other protesters and that he would be returning to Alberta to serve his sentence. The Crown prosecutor, Moiz Karimjee, did not make himself available for media questions, and the Ontario Attorney-General's office declined to comment on the case. The sentence has been seen as a balanced one, taking into account Mr. King's role in the protest and his efforts to promote non-violence.

Here are the key points of the sentence: * 3 months of house arrest * 100 hours of community service at a food bank or men’s shelter * 12 months probation * Mr. King must remain at his residence during his house arrest, except for time spent on court appointments and community service * Mr. King must not return to Ottawa except for court appearances and must stay away from six other convoy leaders. The case has sparked debate about the balance between free speech and public order, and the role of protest leaders in promoting non-violence and respecting the law.