Key ‘Freedom Convoy’ figure pleads guilty to mischief charge
OTTAWA — Tyson “Freedom George” Billings charged from an Ottawa courthouse on Wednesday, brandishing a Canada flag to a cacophony of cheers and air horns after pleading guilty to a charge related to the convoy protest that seized the city earlier this year.
Billings spent 116 days in jail before pleading guilty to counselling to commit mischief. The Crown withdrew other charges, including intimidation, obstructing police, mischief and disobeying a court order.
“I don’t regret it. I’m a freedom fighter,” Billings said outside the courthouse, minutes after his release, to the jubilation of about 50 supporters, including some who took part in the February protests.
Nicknamed “Freedom George” by his fellow protesters, Billings was a key figure in the three-week demonstration against COVID-19 restrictions and the Liberal government, though Crown counsel Moiz Karimjee was careful to point out that he was not one of the leaders.
Protesters in big-rigs and other trucks blocked downtown streets for weeks and formed encampments, which forced businesses to close and sparked “lawlessness” in downtown Ottawa.
According to the agreed statement of facts read aloud in court, Billings was captured in social media videos disobeying police checkpoints designed to keep people out of downtown Ottawa during the protest and encouraging others to thwart the checkpoints, too.
Billings also recorded himself being belligerent toward police and encouraging other protesters to “hold the line.”
“I got caught up in the moment, sure, who wouldn’t,” Billings said after leaving court. “I don’t regret anything.”
Billings said he “went to jail for the kids,” to have mask mandates repealed in schools.
Karimjee said in court he could have sought to prove the other allegations made against Billings and seek a lengthier jail sentence, but opted not to in light of the fact that Billings is the first figure in the convoy to accept responsibility for his actions. Billings was sentenced to time served and a six-month probation under the condition that he keeps the peace.