Convoy leader Pat King loses at appeal court, to be resentenced
An Ontario appeal court has overturned the acquittal of Freedom Convoy leader Pat King on an intimidation charge, ordering a new sentencing hearing. The court cited his central role in orchestrating disruptive protests that gridlocked Ottawa.
Why it matters
The ruling sets a legal precedent regarding the limits of protest and the criminal liability of organizers who use disruptive tactics to coerce government policy.
The Crown appealed after a trial judge convicted King on five criminal charges but acquitted him of intimidation and obstructing police.
In a decision released Friday, the Court of Appeal overturned the acquittal on intimidation, entered a conviction on that charge, and ordered a new sentencing hearing later this year at the Ontario Superior Court.
At that time, King will face fresh sentencing submissions, which will determine a new sentence that reflects both the original convictions and the added intimidation conviction.
“His purpose was to use the pressure that was being exerted against area residents to compel the Government of Canada to abstain from exercising its lawful authority to pursue the COVID-19 policies it considered to be in the public interest, and to instead change these policies to satisfy Mr. King,” the court wrote.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in