Charges withdrawn against 'alleged leader' of Freedom Convoy blockade of the Ambassador Bridge
According to a news release from The Democracy Fund (TDF), charges have been dropped against William Laframboise.
“Mr. Laframboise has always maintained his innocence,” TDF lawyer Alan Honner said. “He insisted on his right to trial, and we believe he would have been acquitted had the charges not been dropped.”
Honner said the charges were withdrawn Wednesday by the crown attorney who told the court it was “not in the public interest to prosecute Laframboise given the evidentiary challenges of the crown’s case”
TDF also noted the charges were withdrawn because the court has other “serious matters that were vying for trial time in a backlogged court system.”
On Feb. 7, 2022, protestors with the Freedom Convoy blocked access to North America’s busiest border crossing.
They were protesting the Trudeau governments COVID-19 mandates, specifically those forcing transport truck drivers to be vaccinated in order to cross the border.
The bridge was closed to all traffic for one week, until Feb. 13, after police arrested 42 people, many of whom were charged with mischief.
According to Honner, Laframboise was identified by authorities as one of the organizers of the protest but he wasn’t arrested until six months after the protest ended.
“His arrest was the result of an ongoing police investigation which sought to identify an organizer of the protests,” according to TDF news release.
Laframboise is the last of TDF’s clients who were facing trial for their alleged roles in the protest.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
Suspect in shooting of Toronto cop was out on bail
A 21-year-old man who was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Toronto police officer this week was out on bail at the time of the alleged offence, court documents obtained by CTV News Toronto show.
Scientists looked at images from space to see how fast Antarctica is turning green. Here's what they found
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
DEVELOPING 2 dead after fire rips through historic building in Old Montreal
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building near Montreal's City Hall, sources told Noovo Info.
Yazidi woman captured by ISIS rescued in Gaza after more than a decade in captivity
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
A 6-year-old girl was kidnapped in Arkansas in 1995. Almost 30 years later, a suspect was identified
Nearly 30 years after a six-year-old girl disappeared in Western Arkansas, authorities have identified a suspect in her abduction through DNA evidence.
Dolphins 'smile' at each other when they play and to avoid misunderstanding, study finds
For humans, flashing a smile is an easy way to avoid misunderstanding. And, according to a new study, bottlenose dolphins may use a similar tactic while playing with each other.
Pit bulls in B.C. pet mauling tested positive for meth, cocaine, says city
Three pit bulls involved in a deadly attack on another dog last month in Kamloops, B.C., tested positive for methamphetamine and cocaine, and the city is going to court to have them put down.
Tax rebate: Canadians with low to modest incomes to receive payment on Friday
Canadians who are eligible for a GST/HST tax credit can expect their final payment of the year on Friday.