Coutts

A large convoy in support of the 4 accused assembled in southern Alberta on Saturday.

January 8th, 2024, is the date when the announcement regarding the specific day for delivering this crucial decision will be made. This decision will have profound implications for Chris Carbert, one of the Coutts protesters who has spent nearly 700 days in pre-trial custody.

The crown has dropped charges against Jesse Johnson (owner of Without Papers Pizza) who was being prosecuted for not closing down his restaurant to unvaccinated people in Calgary, Alberta.

The trucker protester, convicted of assault with a weapon and dangerous driving in relation to the Coutts border blockade, is now facing a potential one-year jail sentence.

Chris Carbert, part of the "Coutts 4," has spent 639 days in remand custody. A bail hearing will take place on December 20. (Video below is from October's hearing.)

Frustration mounts as the slow-moving 3-day pre-trial for the 4 protesters, famously known as The Coutts 4, adjourns to Dec 11 with no substantial progress.

(Update: This video and article have been updated to comply with the most recent publication bans in place.)

“I think they know darn well that they just don’t have anything so they’re just going to put us all through this right to the end and keep destroying our lives," said mother Betty Carbert.

"Actually, it went really well," said the mother of one of the Coutts protesters who've been under pre-trial custody for over 600 days after the judge delivered a decision on "the envelope."

Families and supporters of the 4 protesters who've been under pre-trial custody for over 600 days smiled with silent excitement as the judge delivered his decision regarding "the envelope." For some it's a step in the right direction, while others think it's not a step at all.

On October 20, 2023, in Lethbridge, Alberta, the "Coutts 4" face a crucial court hearing after spending over 600 days in pre-trial custody. Their participation in a successful protest against Covid-19 restrictions captured nationwide support.

Artur Pawlowski was sentenced to 61 days in jail, but the judge credited him for the time he already served, allowing him to walk out as a freeman.

Despite the last-minute cancellation by the local authorities, the small village of Beiseker became the meeting point for convoys from all corners of Alberta to raise funds for the four men who have been held in remand for more than 580…

Anthony "Tony" Olienick remains detained at the Medicine Hat Remand Centre, where he has been battling a gut disease. The remand, designed as a temporary holding facility pending trials or further legal proceedings, has been Tony's home for an uncomfortably long duration.