Coutts trio elect trial in front of packed Lethbridge courtroom

Three men charged in relation to the Coutts border protest earlier this year, made their second appearance Friday in Lethbridge provincial court, accompanied by an entourage of dozens of supporters inside the courthouse and hundreds of protestors outside.

The accused, Fort Macleod Coun. Marco Van Huigenbos, 32, Alex Van Herk, 53, also of Fort Macleod, and Gerhard (George) Janzen, 43, of Taber, are each charged with a single count of mischief by obstructing, interrupting or interfering with the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of property.

During Friday’s hearing, in front of a packed courtroom, lawyers for the men announced they had elected to be tried by a Court of King’s Bench judge and jury, without a preliminary hearing. The matter has been adjourned to Lethbridge Court of King’s Bench for arraignment on Dec. 12, when pleas could be entered.

The Crown has elected to proceed by indictment, which is more serious than a summary offence and allows for a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the mischief charges.

In announcing the charges last month, RCMP accused the men of being “key participants” in the Coutts border blockade.

The protest, which severely limited traffic flow across the border at Coutts between Jan. 29 and Feb. 15, was in response to the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including vaccine requirements related to various industries and travel. The blockade was estimated to cost Canada millions of dollars a day in lost trade revenue.