Achi news desk-
An RCMP officer testified Tuesday that it was difficult to find anyone in charge in the early days of the COVID-era border siege in Coutts, Alta., two years ago.
Sergeant. Greg Tulloch was called as a witness in the trial of Alex Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos and Gerhard (George) Janzen.
All three men have pleaded not guilty to mischief over $5,000.
Crown prosecutors have told jurors they intend to prove that the trio were at the forefront of the protest that tied up traffic on the Canada-US border for two weeks in protest of COVID-19 rules and restrictions.
Tulloch has testified that he and his partner arrived on February 1, 2022 to dismiss two other officers who were tasked with communicating with the protesters.
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“Generally, the aim was to communicate that the highway needed to be reopened and what that would look like,” Tulloch said.
He said that he and another officer went into the Saloon, a meeting place where protesters were gathering, to introduce themselves and say a few words.
“I went straight to explain why we were there and (that) the purpose of the meeting was to explain that it was now time to make arrangements to clear the highway,” said Tulloch.
“There was one person who came to the front of the crowd and seemed to speak for the crowd. He had things to say. He had questions. I spoke to him and everyone else directly.”
In a video of the encounter, Tulloch can be heard addressing the group of protesters.
“What are you going to do next? How long can you wait?” the officer asks on the video.
A Tulloch man identified as Janzen said they would not leave.
“He seemed to represent the group as a single voice for the group,” Tulloch testified.
Tulloch said he met Van Huigenbos and Van Herk a few days later and they seemed to be emerging as leaders as well.
“I don’t think they were on my radar before that. I didn’t know who they were,” Tulloch told the trial.
He said he was able to get impressions from the three men about how the siege was going.
& copy 2024 The Canadian Press
