An RCMP officer has described the tenuous, and infrequently fraught, relationship police solid with protesters as they tried to finish the COVID-era border blockade in Coutts, Alta.
Sgt. Greg Tulloch continued his testimony Wednesday on the trial of Alex Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos and Gerhard (George) Janzen, who’re charged with mischief over $5,000.
Crown prosecutors have advised jurors they intend to show the trio spearheaded the protest that tied up cross-border visitors between Alberta and Montana for 2 weeks in early 2022 in protest of pandemic restrictions.
Tulloch stated efforts have been made to persuade the truckers to tug up stakes and depart when he first arrived on Feb. 1. He stated the three accused have been recognized as leaders and he had most of his dealings with Van Huigenbos.
At one level, Van Huigenbos knowledgeable police quite a few people driving logging vehicles have been decided to make their well beyond a police checkpoint to affix these already in Coutts, and that if the request wasn’t granted “issues may go south in a rush.”
“There was additionally concern about security, that if different actors are launched the state of affairs may turn into problematic,” Tulloch stated.
“Oftentimes, we see that teams resembling that entice individuals not significantly involved about what the message of the protest is. They only come to trigger chaos, both by way of violence or by introducing all kinds of different messages that aren’t the identical as what the group is intending to speak.”
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Police agreed to let the vehicles are available in. However on the final second, Van Huigenbos advised Tulloch to delay the motion as a result of the freeway had been closed once more.
Tulloch described driving into Coutts and having a semi pull in entrance of him and his companion. That led to a heated alternate with the motive force, as different individuals gathered close by.
“Finally Marco and George got here to the scene as effectively and intervened, permitting for that automobile to maneuver again out of the way in which and for us to proceed on,” he stated.
Tulloch stated the freeway was locked down and “completely impassable.” He stated Van Huigenbos requested if the logging vehicles can be allowed in if the freeway reopened, and he replied they wouldn’t.
“He made it very clear that he’s the face of the group and he put it on the market to the individuals who depend on him that in the event that they’re not going to take heed to him, he’s going to stroll away from the state of affairs completely and now not have something to do with it,” Tulloch advised the jury.
“He stated, ‘if we don’t get these vehicles by way of quick, I’ll lose the belief of my individuals. That can put us again 4 days.’”
Tulloch stated he returned for a second tour in Coutts on Feb. 9 and the state of affairs had worsened.
“It was now not porous. It was fully sealed.”
He stated there seemed to be some new individuals on the scene.
Tulloch advised court docket they regarded totally different and have been sporting camouflage and vests. He stated Smuggler’s Saloon, a gathering level for the protesters, felt extra like a navy set up.
Tulloch stated Van Huigenbos disregarded his considerations, saying they have been solely dressing for the climate.
One other drawback popped up on Feb. 12, when police seen two giant excavators had been dropped off close to the freeway, halfway between Coutts and Milk River.
Tulloch stated the 2 males have been advised to take away each machines however, after making a name, they solely moved them a brief distance away.
“Both they have been to be parked up the freeway, thus changing into a lot much less movable than the tractors or semis that have been already blocking additional south, or they could be used to really dig up the freeway,” Tulloch stated.
“Both means, that needed to be averted.”
Tulloch stated he tried to achieve Van Huigenbos to get the excavators eliminated, however didn’t hear again from him instantly. Throughout that point, police determined to disable each machines.
“It’s all accomplished now,” Tulloch stated in a textual content.
Van Huigenbos replied he hoped the RCMP knew how to do this with out wrecking the gear.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
