Convoy organizer Steeve Charland won't serve time behind bars
A key figure in the Freedom Convoy protest has been sentenced following his criminal conviction, but he won't serve time behind bars.
In December, an Ontario Superior Court judge found Steeve Charland guilty of mischief for his role in the protest that shut down parts of downtown Ottawa in early 2022.
On Monday, Charland received a suspended sentence of six months, which does not involve jail time. The Crown and defence had requested suspended sentences of 18 months and three months, respectively.
During his testimony last year, Charland said he did not understand why he was on the docket at all, insisting he had acted within the limits of the law.
Charland was arrested by Ontario Provincial Police officers in Vankleek Hill, Ont., in February 2022.
From Grenville, Que., Charland is known as a spokesperson for Les Farfadaas, a Quebec group formed to protest against public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
That group was formed from La Meute, regarded by experts as a far-right, anti-Islam and anti-immigration group.
People wearing Les Farfadaas patches and leather jackets could often be found around the protest site during the three-week occupation of Ottawa.
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