One of the key organizers of the Canadian Freedom Convoy protest has been arrested in Ottawa. Chris Barber’s arrest was announced during debate in the Parliament of Canada on Thursday, Fox News reported.
Barber, who is a senior convoy leader, is expected to face criminal charges, according to the CBC. He has previously said in a press release that politicians have declined to engage in “serious dialogue.”
“We understand your frustration and genuinely wish there was another way for us to get our message across, but the responsibility for your inconvenience lies squarely on the shoulders of politicians who have [preferred] to vilify and call us names rather than engage in respectful, serious dialogue.”
Chris Barber, a key organizer of the so-called Freedom Convoy that has occupied Ottawa streets for three weeks, has been arrested in Ottawa, CBC News has learned. Barber, who is currently in police custody and is expected to face criminal charges, has been described as one of the key leaders of the protest in Ottawa, which has now hit the three-week mark.
Barber is also one of three protest organizers named in the class-action lawsuit filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice by lawyer Paul Champ on behalf of his client, 21-year-old public servant Zexi Li. The suit names Barber along with fellow convoy organizers Tamara Lich and Benjamin Dichter. Earlier this month, Barber responded to criticism the protest was negatively affecting Ottawa residents by saying organizers had “empathy” for local residents.
