Freedom Convoy organizer Chris Barber pleaded guilty Monday to a new criminal charge for counselling others to disobey a court order in February 2022.
The charge relates to an incident on Feb. 9, 2022 when Barber posted a TikTok video where he refers to a court injunction granted two days prior, which banned honking at all hours of the day in the city’s downtown.
“If you see a large vast majority of police coming toward your truck … lock that door, crawl into that bunk. But before you do that, grab that horn switch and don’t let go,” Barber is heard saying in the social media video.
“Let that f–king horn go no matter what time it is, and let it roll as long as possible until they’re busting your f–king windows down.”
Court did say it can’t cite the TikTok video as causing any violation of the injunction.
Barber, appearing by video call from his home in Saskatchewan, appeared in an Ottawa courtroom alongside fellow organizer Tamara Lich. Both have been released on bail under strict conditions.
Together the two are co-accused of mischief, obstructing police and counselling others to commit mischief and intimidation.
Both are expected to face trial in September.
Horns were a warning for other drivers, says Barber
Barber was previously questioned on the TikTok video during last November’s Public Order Emergency Commission, which examined the government’s use of the Emergency Act in response to last year’s massive protest in Ottawa.
He had told the jury how he had tried to urge truckers to stop honking out of respect for nearby residents.
Barber did defend his actions in the video. He said he was encouraging honking to “try and warn the other drivers” if police arrived to begin mass arrests, and mentioned he was trying to inform truck drivers “police needed to have a warrant” to search the bunk of a truck
