More On: Freedom Convoy
Canadian clerics chastise Trudeau for using the Emergencies Act and other 'tyrannical actions.'
Tamara Lich, the leader of the Freedom Convoy, was apprehended by Canadian police
Truckers in the US are planning a convoy to Washington, D.C., to protest COVID-19 regulations
Trudeau Will Use Unprecedented Emergency Power To Respond To Freedom Convoy
After GoFundMe blocked millions of dollars in contributions, Canadian trucker protest raised over $900,000 in bitcoin
Lich said on Wednesday that she anticipated to be detained.
According to internet sources, Tamara Lich, the leader of Canada's "Freedom Convoy," has been detained by police in Ottawa.
BREAKING— #FreedomConvoy organizer Tamara Lich has been arrested by @OttawaPolice pic.twitter.com/cK9CadOPaR
— Joe Warmington (@joe_warmington) February 18, 2022
CBC News reporter David Cochrane wrote in a tweet: "Convoy organizer Tamara Lich was arrested Thursday evening by Ottawa police and also remains in police custody. Both she and Chris Barber - who was arrested earlier - are expected to be charged criminally, according to sources."
A video of Lich being held by Ottawa police was also published on social media by an account that seems to be affiliated with the caravan.
Tamara Lich has been arrested, but we will continue to #holdtheline pic.twitter.com/GaPZdsrhVe
— FreedomConvoy2022 (@rFreedomConvoy) February 18, 2022
"Tamara Lich has been arrested, but we will continue to #holdtheline," stated the tweet that included the video.
Lich, who launched the GoFundMe campaign that garnered millions for people taking part in the convoy protest but was subsequently blocked, said in an emotional video posted to social media on Wednesday that she was expecting to be arrested. Lich expressed gratitude to those who stood by her side and said that she is "ready" and "not frightened."
In emotional video tonight, protest organizer Tamara Lich seems to accept she is going to jail soon. pic.twitter.com/j8L0NMoL2f
— Glen McGregor (@glen_mcgregor) February 17, 2022
"There's a pretty good chance - well I think it's inevitable at this point - but, uh, I'll probably be going somewhere tomorrow where I'll be getting three square meals a day. And that's OK," Lich said in the video.
On Thursday, Chris Barber, another major organizer of the Freedom Convoy rally, was detained in Ottawa.
According to the CBC, Barber, a senior convoy leader, is anticipated to face criminal charges. In an earlier news release, he said that politicians had refused to engage in "real discourse."
The arrest comes after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act on Monday, giving the government the authority to disperse protesters by towing cars and even more direct steps like freezing personal bank accounts.
"These blockades are illegal, and if you are still participating, the time to go home is now," Trudeau said. "This is about keeping Canadians safe, protecting peoples' jobs and restoring faith in our institutions."
Trudeau and Canada's Attorney General, David Lametti, have said that the measure would be temporary and geographically restricted, as well as in scope, and that the Canadian military will not interfere.