Two charges withdrawn against people involved with Ambassador Bridge blockade

Two people have had their charges withdrawn following the Ambassador Bridge blockade last year that shut down North America's busiest land border crossing.

Eric Lemmonis one of the two people who are no longer facing a charge of mischief and breach of a court order, according to The Democracy Fund, a charity that defends peoples' constitutional rights.

Litigation Director Alan Honner said he believes Lemmon's charges werewithdrawn Aug. 1 because of a video they submitted showing his client was on the sidewalk at the time, not blocking the roadway.

"The fact that they arrested people on asidewalk isn't right, but it doesn't surprise me.You see policearrest people all the time for things people shouldn't be arrested for," said Honner. "You can't obstruct traffic if you're on the sidewalk."

The Ministry of the Attorney General has not responded to CBC'srequest for comment on the reasons the charges were withdrawn before the time of publication.

On February 7, 2022, truckers and other people protesting COVID-19 measuresarrived at the main entrance and exit of the Ambassador Bridge. They blocked traffic in both directions even aftera court injunction was issued instructing protesters to clear out and the feds invoked the Emergencies Act with the same goal.

It wasn't until February 13 that a large number of officers from across Canada walked in a massive line along the road, clearing out protestors along the way.

Windsor police previously said at least 46 people faced 90 charges following the Ambassador Bridge blockade.

Richard Moon, a University of Windsor law professor who specializes in constitutional issues, said the blockade makes him think back to the G20 protests in 2010. More than 1,100people were arrested and reports afterwards slammed police for excessive use of force.

"Certainly there's no question at some protests, at G20 protests in particular, there was significant overcharging. I certainly have no reason to think that that occurred in the recent convoy protests," said Moon.

However, when it happens during a protest he said itraises "constitutional concerns."

"Concerns about freedom of expression and the right toassembly, both of which are protected under our charter of rights," said Moon.

The Windsor Police Service has not responded to CBC's request for comment.

Five months later, in July of2022,Windsor police arrested two people they say were leaders of the Ambassador Bridge blockade in Windsor.

William LaframboiseandNycole Dicredico, both of Windsor, were each charged with mischief.

Laframboiseis representing himself and said he wants a trial as soon as possible to prove his innocence. The 41-year-old maintains that he wasn't a leader.

"They have nothing on us," he tells CBC News. "All they're doing is ruining peoples' lives."

Dicredico is being represented by Windsor lawyer Dan Scott, who is also looking for her charges to be withdrawn.

"My position has always been that she was out of there even before the [court] order was issued," said Scott. "It's stressingher out unbelievably, because every time I see her, [she says] I'm telling you I wasn't even there."

In total, the Democracy Fund has been representing 13 people in Windsor charged in relation to the Ambassdor Bridge. Since charges in two of those cases have been withdrawn, the other 11 are set for trial as early as September.

The organization, through outside counsel, has also represented people in Coutts, Alberta where convoy protestors disrupted the busy U.S. border crossing. The Democracy Fund said eight clients had their charges stayed there.

CBC News also reported in January of a 63-year-old woman in Alberta who had her blockade-related charges withdrawn.

Convoy organizersTamara Lich and Chris Barber are scheduled for trial in September on criminal charges in connection to the protests that gridlocked downtown Ottawa for several weeks in early 2022.

Pat King, another convoy organizer also charged with mischief, counselling others to commit mischief among other allegations, is scheduled for a November trial.