After stressing the clerks and trial coordinator at the Ottawa courthouse for nearly a week, I was finally given my Zoom credentials for the #truckerbail hearings (no, I won't share, don't ask). I was supposed to be at Hamilton courthouse today for a sentencing but snowed in.
(My wipers don't work and I'm not driving an hour plus unable to see)
Since @JamesDBowie, who's graciously kept all of us combobulated so far, is covering Pat King, I'll be looking at George Billings. Now your #truckerbail can be #bailwithbowie or #bailwithbest!
Who will win? (Probably Bowie, he's got way more followers.)
Who will win? (Probably Bowie, he's got way more followers.)
For BG, George Billings (full name Tyson George Billings according to OPS release) was arrested February 19 at around 7:50 p.m.
Shouting "freedom" and assuring his followers that he was not in jail, he was stopped by OPS and arrested on live stream.
facebook.com/10007094568810…
Shouting "freedom" and assuring his followers that he was not in jail, he was stopped by OPS and arrested on live stream.
facebook.com/10007094568810…
"You're under arrest for mischief," the police tell him.
"Mischief? ... What did I do?" Billings asks.
... Mischief.
"Mischief? ... What did I do?" Billings asks.
... Mischief.
On top of Mischief,
Counselling to Commit the Offence of Mischief
Counselling to Commit the Offence of Disobey Court Order (s.127)
Obstruct Police
Counselling to Commit the Offence of Obstruct Police
According to the OPS report the next morning
ottawapolice.ca/Modules/News/i…
Counselling to Commit the Offence of Mischief
Counselling to Commit the Offence of Disobey Court Order (s.127)
Obstruct Police
Counselling to Commit the Offence of Obstruct Police
According to the OPS report the next morning
ottawapolice.ca/Modules/News/i…
*Release, not report.
According a CTV report, Billings was the cofounder of "freedom convoy token," a cryptocurrency designed to circumvent the GiveSendGo & GoFundMe issues.
According to the hilariously-named "PooCoin Charts," the value of the cryptocurrency is in the toilet poocoin.app/tokens/0x9ec2e…
According to the hilariously-named "PooCoin Charts," the value of the cryptocurrency is in the toilet poocoin.app/tokens/0x9ec2e…
Despite being on Zoom I'm once again experiencing my repeated existential dread that I've wandered into the wrong courtroom; something I've felt since high school.
It requires repeated checking of the room numbers.
Every ten minutes.
It requires repeated checking of the room numbers.
Every ten minutes.
Billings is now seated, wearing a mask and a black hoodie with the word "FREEDOM" -- all caps -- in bubble letters.
Billings is appearing before Justice Donna Hackett
Tara Dobec for the Crown.
Oleksiy Bykov is representing Billings.
#truckerbail
Tara Dobec for the Crown.
Oleksiy Bykov is representing Billings.
#truckerbail
Bykov says he was trying to connect with Billings at the detention centre but the call was never returned.
Hackett: "Because you haven't had a chance to speak with him yet, is it a situation where we should do the breakout now, or is it a situation where it can wait?"
Hackett: "Because you haven't had a chance to speak with him yet, is it a situation where we should do the breakout now, or is it a situation where it can wait?"
Bykov says he thinks it can wait.
Billings gives a "thumbs up" to indicate he's OK with the discussion coming later.
#truckerbail
Billings gives a "thumbs up" to indicate he's OK with the discussion coming later.
#truckerbail
Madam Clerk's microphone is *cranked up high* -- my poor ears.
The Crown is listing off the exhibits against Billings.
So far it's a lot of social media posts from Ottawa Police, anonymous authors and the like. Fairly routine stuff so far.
#truckerbail
So far it's a lot of social media posts from Ottawa Police, anonymous authors and the like. Fairly routine stuff so far.
#truckerbail
An exhibit outside the social media rote: a convoy map prepared Feb 18. Her Honour is asking who prepared the map. Dobec says it was prepared by OPS.
Justice Hackett wants to know if the red on the map means convoy shut down areas or police shut it down.
Justice Hackett wants to know if the red on the map means convoy shut down areas or police shut it down.
Since the source of the closures is unclear, Madam Justice says it's not reasonable to associate the convoy with the closures at this time.
Exhibits on school walk outs and Centretown population data from the census, pulled from a neighbourhood study.
There's some confusion as to where the "red zone" on the map ends. Is it Laurier? Lisgar?
Dobec says it went right to the Queensway.
#truckerbail
Dobec says it went right to the Queensway.
#truckerbail
The next exhibit is about "Freedom Convoy Token," the aforementioned horribly-performing attempt at cryptocurrency co-founded by Billings with the other convoy leaders.
There's some "Freedom for us all" facebook posts with some incredibly confusing spelling -- one word? two words? Dobec emphasizes there's examples of both. I'm admittedly lost on the distinction there, it's a little unclear.
An Ottawa Citizen article. Billings' record. "Police info sheet". "Police reports". "Synopsis".
We're moving through at a nice clip now.
Two power points, split up. PowerPoint one has already been reviewed by Madam Justice. Two is one Dobec intends to go through today.
We're moving through at a nice clip now.
Two power points, split up. PowerPoint one has already been reviewed by Madam Justice. Two is one Dobec intends to go through today.
Madam Justice Hackett has received a bunch of material this morning and hasn't had a chance to review it. Dobec intends to take her through it.
"For all of the counts, the Crown will be asking it go back to Jan 24, so from Jan 24 to 19. The Crown will be expanding the jurisdiction, so it will be Ottawa & elsewhere in the province of Ontario," Dobec says.
#truckerbail #bailwithbest
#truckerbail #bailwithbest
Justice Hackett reasks a question about private or public property interference. "The Crown alleges both," Dobec answer
Dobec is going over the particular words of the allegations. Mischief, counselling to commit mischief, breaching a court order (for the noise injunction) (two counts, one breaching it himself, the second counselling others to breach).
#truckerbail #bailwithbest
#truckerbail #bailwithbest
Bykov says he hadn't been informed by the additional charges that had been added to the information. "I don't know how it'll impact Mr. Billings' bail hearing ... as that information just came in now."
"Why don't you take a few minutes to reflect upon that," Justice Hackett asks Bykov.
Bykov says there's no webinar or link he can have (there's no breakout capability in this Zoom webinar)
Dobec says he'll have to be brought back to the cells and use the phone.
#truckerbail
Bykov says there's no webinar or link he can have (there's no breakout capability in this Zoom webinar)
Dobec says he'll have to be brought back to the cells and use the phone.
#truckerbail
It sounds like we're going to take 20 minutes so Mr. Bykov can talk to Mr. Billings about this new count, since it would be onerous to have multiple bail hearings for different counts (fair).
So back at five to eleven.
So back at five to eleven.
It's five to eleven and nothing yet, so here. Decide what I get to have for lunch. You all have an hour.
Bykov spoke to his client. Billings consents to the two new charges to be added to the bail hearing.
Dobec was going to start a screenshare, but Bykov brought up that a surety is here, waiting since 10 am. Dobec wonders if he needs to be brought in, runs Bykov through how to check the attendees.
#truckerbail #bailwithbest
#truckerbail #bailwithbest
We're going through Dobec's "powerpoint 2". It is actually a PDF; I am disappointed (I am not).
It's two tweets from @OttawaPolice instructing people to leave the area from Feb 18, a notice to demonstrators to leave, and a picture of the Public Order Unit officers.
It's two tweets from @OttawaPolice instructing people to leave the area from Feb 18, a notice to demonstrators to leave, and a picture of the Public Order Unit officers.
Tow notices from police, another tweet from OPS: "Protesters are assaulting officers, have attempted to remove ... weapons." Now a tweet of the mounted unit "sent in to create critical space."
#truckerbail #billingsbail
#truckerbail #billingsbail
Now it's the Childrens' Aid Society release from Feb 19 asking demonstrators not to bring young kids to the protest.
#truckerbail
#truckerbail
It's now getting into OPS tweets accusing protesters of getting aggressive with officers and horses, warning them they'll be including helmets and batons for their safety.
"At the same time these occuring -- Feb 19 -- these are screenshots from Freedom Forusall, he ... facebooks that he's working with lawyers for Pat King."
"ALL AHNDS ON DECK AT THE FRONT LINE ASAP!" the Facebook post reads.
#truckerbail #billingsbail #bailwithbest
"ALL AHNDS ON DECK AT THE FRONT LINE ASAP!" the Facebook post reads.
#truckerbail #billingsbail #bailwithbest
It's now the map that caused some confusion earlier, the one showing the police red zone.
Details of the arrest -- the one linked from Facebook -- where he yells freedom, turns over a knife, w/ crowd that heckled police.
Dobec says Billings gave the statement that Pat King is his best friend, he's started a movement that will spread to the United States.
"It's not going to stop, ever," says a quote from the statement Dobec reads.
"It's not going to stop, ever," says a quote from the statement Dobec reads.
"Doesn't need money, he can live in the bush" is the final bullet on that slide.
Dobec continues on the statement, where Billings accuses the police of being the ones impeding traffic (with the checkpoints)
#truckerbail #bailwithbest
#truckerbail #bailwithbest
We're back to the tweets and facebook posts. Somebody had taken over his facebook page. Dobec says "somebody facebooks out the details of his arrest."
Aside: "Facebooks" does not have the ring of "Tweets"
Aside: "Facebooks" does not have the ring of "Tweets"
The takeover of Billings' Freedom Forusall apparently notified readers of that takeover by saying "This isn't freedom George."
Dobec emphasizes these posts have hundreds of comments and shares.
Dobec emphasizes these posts have hundreds of comments and shares.
Now to the Feb. 20 police tweets, and their tresspass notice from same day to clear out the Coventry Rd. location
#truckerbail #billingsbail
#truckerbail #billingsbail
"Six 25 cubic meter bins have been filled" with waste, a tweet from the City of Ottawa Dobec reads out.
We're now on the 21 Feb wind-down of police action encourage return to normal life in ottawa (back to Byward!)
A tweet with a tally of arrests 191, charges laid at 389, and 79 vehicles towed from the Ottawa police.
On Feb 23, a new map of the red zone (now bounding Queen Elizabeth to Bronson, Laurier to Wellington/Parliament)
#truckerbail #bailwithbest #billingsbail
#truckerbail #bailwithbest #billingsbail
(This is all Dobec for the Crown reading all this in, as a reminder.)
"Just some information that didn't make it into the PowerPoint," Dobec says, "Specifically on Feb 9, a callout for assistance."
It was requesting a "slow roll" somewhere in Ottawa the next day, the post says, with a meetup at coventry road.
It was requesting a "slow roll" somewhere in Ottawa the next day, the post says, with a meetup at coventry road.
Justice Hackett asks to be reminded of Mr. King's arrest (Feb 18)
Dobec says she'll provide vid of Billings promoting the general school walkout.
Her Honour corrects Dobec on how many walked out (two dozen) after Dobec says it's a dozen -- plus a dozen parents.
Her Honour corrects Dobec on how many walked out (two dozen) after Dobec says it's a dozen -- plus a dozen parents.
There's now a map of "Roads and Bridges" dated Feb 18 that's being described by Dobec as "confusing."
There's no legend. It looks like spaghetti noodles and marinara. Confusing is a VERY fair description.
There's no legend. It looks like spaghetti noodles and marinara. Confusing is a VERY fair description.
Now we're on to the census information/neighbourhood study of Centretown. "There's approximately 28,000 people that would be living within that red zone." It's a few years, old as Her Honour and the Crown agree.
Justice Hackett is getting the dimensions of Centretown down.
Justice Hackett is getting the dimensions of Centretown down.
We're now at screensharing the videos from Dobec (or should be.)
"It might be wise for me to take a moment and print that off," Justice Hackett says about the documents said this morning before Dobec fires up the video screenshare. It's now just Billings, Bykov and Madam Clerk.
"It might be wise for me to take a moment and print that off," Justice Hackett says about the documents said this morning before Dobec fires up the video screenshare. It's now just Billings, Bykov and Madam Clerk.
*sent this morning.
"TikTok - Orange Shirt, Billings and Pat King" is now up on the screen.
This is one of the videos Dobec will share out.
"This is a TikTok video," Dobec says, and explains what TikTok is, that it doesn't record the date. This video is from a TikTok account with 23,000 plus followers.
Dobec says the video has Pat King (with a big X on his jacket -- he's really hard to miss).
"My understanding is this occured on Feb 11," Dobec says.
"My understanding is this occured on Feb 11," Dobec says.
Her Honour asks where the understanding of the date comes from. Dobec says that Billings posted a video about Orange Shirt Day being the next day (this video having orange shirts.)
The video has Billings is in orange shirt, with a self stick and an Indigenous drum (no idea if the dummer is also Indigenous...) Lots of Canadian flags being waved, worn as capes.
"Yeah, honk honk," shouts somebody on the video.
"Yeah, honk honk," shouts somebody on the video.
A new TikTok. "Call for help! / Help our truckers with fuel / #FreedomConvoy2022 "
"Freedom George" Billings is calling for fuel cans on the video. "be peaceful ... record them not letting you through," he says on the video.
#truckerbail.
"Freedom George" Billings is calling for fuel cans on the video. "be peaceful ... record them not letting you through," he says on the video.
#truckerbail.
Mr. Billings is apparently making statements in the court room (no idea what he said, wasn't audible but is in the record)
Madam Justice cautions Billings that he's been told making comments are inappopriate and likely not in his best interest.
Bykov also cautions him.
Madam Justice cautions Billings that he's been told making comments are inappopriate and likely not in his best interest.
Bykov also cautions him.
A tiktok video of an police liaison officer talking with Pat King. Billings is also talking to the officer. (She's quite cordial to Billings and King).
She asks who organized the event, Billings responds "everybody did."
#truckerbail #billingsbail
She asks who organized the event, Billings responds "everybody did."
#truckerbail #billingsbail
Justice Hackett asks for the video to be replayed, but asks how Dobec can identify Billings' voice.
"There's hundreds of hours," Dobec replies, and says that by the end of it her honour will likely be able to pick Billings out by sound.
"There's hundreds of hours," Dobec replies, and says that by the end of it her honour will likely be able to pick Billings out by sound.
After clarifying if there's other evidence of the occupants of the vehicle, Justice Hackett asks for the same video to be played again.
"The next video is one from that same TikTok," Dobec says. "Just to place it, your honour, we don't have a specific date. It's a video concerning the GoFundMe fundraiser."
"This TikTok would be some time after that."
"This TikTok would be some time after that."
"Do not use the gofundme.com refund form"
It's a demand for donors to use chargebacks.
It has really bad instructions on how chargebacks work (they aren't substitutes for refunds and your CC will close the chargeback if you were offered a refund but didn't take it)
It's a demand for donors to use chargebacks.
It has really bad instructions on how chargebacks work (they aren't substitutes for refunds and your CC will close the chargeback if you were offered a refund but didn't take it)
Dobec is now explaining to Justice Hackett how TikTok works, and how she's pulling the titles from the "tiles" that make up TikTok before you click into the videos.
Now a really, REALLY OBNOXIOUSLY LOUD TikTok of kids from the walk-out drawn on a Nissan. "God wins," "I need to be able to tell my children I did not stay silent" among the many slogans on that Nissan.
Justice Hackett is asking about the chronology of the videos.
Which I'd summarize but we're at a new video. "TikTok - Child dancing" is the milquetoast title. "#schoolwalkout2022" on the short clip of what appears to be a young girl dancing in a stairwell.
The next tiktok is a a video of the Ontario and Alberta school walkouts, set up like fliers on the screen.
"Lastly, the next video is from ... Standing White Buffalo, who seems to be a counter protester," Dobec says.
It's a one minute video that is part of a larger, longer video.
It's a one minute video that is part of a larger, longer video.
"I don't like a process where I'm looking at evidence that hasn't been filed for the bail hearing," Justice Hackett says.
Dobec says it's been filed but she doesn't intend to play the longer video (it's 1 hr, 43 mins). She's taken the counterprotester's execerpt to be concise.
Dobec says it's been filed but she doesn't intend to play the longer video (it's 1 hr, 43 mins). She's taken the counterprotester's execerpt to be concise.
I will not watch that video and nobody can make me. I'm letting you know that right now.
The video is Billings walking down a snowy, abandoned street. "Pat King cannot make bail ... George Billings asks for help" the video says at the top. It's a summary of the bail requirements and a call for help, as that legend might suggest.
Justice Hackett again raises how Billings has been identified. Dobec says it's a voice identification, then says he posted that video and tagged himself.
"What's tagged himself?" Justice Hackett asks.
"What's tagged himself?" Justice Hackett asks.
Dobec is now explaining how you can tag anybody. "[The video] appears on Freedom Forusall, which the Crown alleges is run by Mr. Billings, and he's tagged himself."
"So it's more important it's posted on his facebook, and not that he's tagged himself" -- Hackett.
"So it's more important it's posted on his facebook, and not that he's tagged himself" -- Hackett.
The big takeaway from this pattern is that Hackett is a stickler for how the Crown is identifying Billings and making sure the Crown is very, very clear on that.
(Justice Hackett -- my b, your honour)
"Just to place this, this occurs on Jan 30. It's titled "They go the Freedom Truck" -- the title also has "It's War" after it, but Dobec didn't read that part outloud.
In the video, Billings is wearing a red toque with a maple leaf and the same black sweater with FREEDOM on it that he's wearing in court today.
#truckerbail #billingsbail #bailwithbest
#truckerbail #billingsbail #bailwithbest
Dobec moves the cue forward to where Billings is talking to a towing company. Billings wants to know where "Lancaster Road" is. The towing company tells him it's $118.65 to get the truck back
Billings is EXCITED they're open 24 hours. "We're going to get the freedom truck back!"
Billings is EXCITED they're open 24 hours. "We're going to get the freedom truck back!"
(While waiting for the tow company, Billings rants about Antifa)
After the tow company call, he talks about how TikTok doesn't like them, how the media is "spinning shit".
He talks about having twenty trucks gridlocked in front of the hotel.
"We're taking over the country!"
After the tow company call, he talks about how TikTok doesn't like them, how the media is "spinning shit".
He talks about having twenty trucks gridlocked in front of the hotel.
"We're taking over the country!"
Same video, Billings is talking about getting the fuel truck to fuel up all the trucks.
Speaking of fueling up, while we're waiting for the next video, you guys decided the burrito bowl is what I'm having for lunch.
#truckerbail #billingsbail
#truckerbail #billingsbail
We're at the next video (also a longer one from Dobec). She emphasizes an immediate reference to Coutts, Alba.
And, yep. "They're jamming her up down there"
And, yep. "They're jamming her up down there"
"HE JUST SWORE YOU GUYS IN AS PEACE OFFICERS" -- OMG IT'S THIS ONE!
That was by FAR one of the wackiest incidents from the whole convoy, when they started making themselves cops. Must be around then.
Now it's a tour of coventry parking lot. Many,many truck cabs (which I must ay are quite neatly parked).
There's the infamous saunas, some tents.
There's the infamous saunas, some tents.
Billings is saying the news "comes and causes a scene," edits it to cause problemsthen talks about the saunas
I think we're fastforwarding to the peace officer swearing in ceremony YES
"You are all here to become peace officers ... do you understand that under the criminal code of canada, that a peace officer is somebody employed to maintain and preserve the public peace?"
"Do you solemnly swear to maintain and preserve the public peace, so help you God?"
"Yes."
"I hereby emply you as a peace officer of the canadian common corpse [yes, CORPSE]."
"Yes."
"I hereby emply you as a peace officer of the canadian common corpse [yes, CORPSE]."
I'd describe this more clearly but honestly I'm laughing here so hard. Not that ANYBODY needs to be told this, but this is not how you become a cop.
I wish Her Honour had asked that one to be played again because I might be able to compose myself to transcribe it better.
#truckerbail #bailwithbest #billingsbail
#truckerbail #bailwithbest #billingsbail
Now a video trucks "circling around the airport," Billings shouting "YEAH BOYS" and "FREEDOM! FREEDOM!"
They're honking so loud the airport really should be paying them for all the birds they've scared off.
The video cuts off as somebody makes a comment about stewardesses
They're honking so loud the airport really should be paying them for all the birds they've scared off.
The video cuts off as somebody makes a comment about stewardesses
The next video is Pat King and Billings rolling around, "looping around" the airport. "Causing some noise, getting some middle fingers so we can say I love you."
"Jam up both lanes, jam up all lanes, guys."
"We're jamming 'em up," somebody replies on a radio.
"Jam up both lanes, jam up all lanes, guys."
"We're jamming 'em up," somebody replies on a radio.
Dobec says she thinks her tags wrong on the video. The preceding video she expected to play was actually from the school walkout, not the airport.
We haven't go to that school walkout yet, we're still at the airport with a lot of HONK HONK HONK HONK going on.
"It looks like I have the wrong video 12 loaded in," Dobec confirms. "Just more video of them circling the airport."
#truckerbail #bilingsbail
"It looks like I have the wrong video 12 loaded in," Dobec confirms. "Just more video of them circling the airport."
#truckerbail #bilingsbail
Justice Hackett catches that she'd actually had the wrong video (11, not 12) loaded all along. So now we're at video 12.
"This is on the Queensway," Dobec says. It's Pat King with a radio slow-rolling with Billings seated next to him. Apparently for 40+ minutes.
"This is on the Queensway," Dobec says. It's Pat King with a radio slow-rolling with Billings seated next to him. Apparently for 40+ minutes.
Pat King is giving instructions on how to handle the walkout. It's a good thing it's slow driving, because he can't keep his eyes on the road (and off the camera).
Billings is now telling us the mainstream media doesn't talk about the things that need to be talked about and when they (we) do, they (we) lie about it.
Segue-free lead-in to Orange Shirt Day "to remember those kids ... this is for the kids."
"2 o'clock, Parliement Hill, guys"
Segue-free lead-in to Orange Shirt Day "to remember those kids ... this is for the kids."
"2 o'clock, Parliement Hill, guys"
The camera's now facing forward down the 417. Their slow-driving is awful. The cars on the left, middle left, and right lanes just pass them.
They say the truckers that don't agree with them are "making themselves look bad."
They say the truckers that don't agree with them are "making themselves look bad."
Next vid: "You hold that line, you hold that line," Pat King says. "The millions of dollars they've taken from the average Canadian citizen ... they're telling you to back off the border cause the billionares might lose a couple B$"
Pat King mispronounces oligarchs are "oly-arks" and tells them they might have to eat Kraft Dinner.
He brings up a printout from a "mason begging him to save his business" and for a minute I honestly didn't know if he meant a stone mason or a freemason, given the woo.
He brings up a printout from a "mason begging him to save his business" and for a minute I honestly didn't know if he meant a stone mason or a freemason, given the woo.
Billings is seated next to King in that video. Dobec says her honour will note that Billings is wearing an orange shirt, like in the first tiktok video.
We're back to Billings own social media from Pat Kings. "They can't stop us, we've got Jesus" he declares.
The video says it's a "Feb 12 update"
The video says it's a "Feb 12 update"
Billings is in the video explaining that the Freedom Ringtone is on iphone and android.
"Let's go, let's go, let's go, that's there too," he says.
"Let's go, let's go, let's go, that's there too," he says.
"I know what I was born for," Billings says. "FREEDOM!" Then he makes a little running motion. He's wearing a Superman t-shirt and big cross.
He links his daughter and King's son and their mask-free grad to the Indigenous children killed at Residential School.
#truckerbail
He links his daughter and King's son and their mask-free grad to the Indigenous children killed at Residential School.
#truckerbail
"Let's freedom the shit out of Ottawa and all of Canada today," he continues on the video.
"So... Justin Trudeau, nobody can find you but you're fired!"
"So... Justin Trudeau, nobody can find you but you're fired!"
He closes the video by asking his followers to pray for haters and trolls.
#truckerbail #billingsbail #billingshearing
#truckerbail #billingsbail #billingshearing
In the next video, he's wearing the same FREEDOM black sweater and ... seems to have his hair in braids/cornrows (???)
"At the end of Wellington where the French guys are hanging out, there's 14 cops down there," he says. "Way more police presence, way more scare tactics."
"At the end of Wellington where the French guys are hanging out, there's 14 cops down there," he says. "Way more police presence, way more scare tactics."
He sort of loses himself trying to describe the Jericho March, stumbles over his words, and then tells everybody to honk at one-oh-seven.
#truckerbail
#truckerbail
He says he picked up an unmarked with Pat [King] and picked up a couple tails that followed him around all night. "While we were there, I personally experienced ... three busloads of fully clothed (?) police officers"
"BOOM! Three more empty buses show up." He goes on to describe Ottawa police, OPP, RCMP pull up to the encampment. "Do we sit here, wait, and not wake up the people? Or do we go wake up the people with what I've seen with my own eyes?"
"So we went down waking people up. Right on!"
He talks about jamming up the airport and the 417. Went and found the "cop place" with all the buses.
"Who did that? Who did it?"
"We did the right thing, whether you like it or not, waking them up."
He talks about jamming up the airport and the 417. Went and found the "cop place" with all the buses.
"Who did that? Who did it?"
"We did the right thing, whether you like it or not, waking them up."
Just wondering if people were mad at him for waking them up and this was his response? Still, when he mentions "who did that? who did it?" -- ouch. Ouch for him.
Dobec says the next couple of videos from Billings' Freedom Forusall account are long (AGAIN, CANNOT MAKE ME WATCH) and has provided the summary, but doesn't intend to play them for the court (THANK GOD)
The video is called "Hold the Line - Horses - Freedom" This video is Billings' in the red zone on Feb 18. It's taken near the (temporary) Senate. It's at the corner of Wellington and Ridea.
"We're not losing ... we're winning." Billings said. "Oh look, here come the horses" he says as the horses come up. "Look what they're doing, they're using their hosrses."
"HOOOOOOOOOLLLLLTHELINE HOLLLLLTHELINE HOTHELINE HOLD THE LINE!" he shouts. "Get up in front!"
"HOOOOOOOOOLLLLLTHELINE HOLLLLLTHELINE HOTHELINE HOLD THE LINE!" he shouts. "Get up in front!"
He asks the crowd, "did you see them going to mow down people on the horses? Ho, ho, ho. That's crazy, hey?"
They're now cfronting the line of cops in riot gear, holding batons.
He shouts "MAY GOD! HAVE MERCY! ON YOUR SOULS!" in a way that reminds me of a professional wrestler doing a promo shoot.
#truckerbail #billingsbail
He shouts "MAY GOD! HAVE MERCY! ON YOUR SOULS!" in a way that reminds me of a professional wrestler doing a promo shoot.
#truckerbail #billingsbail
He's asking where all the bikers and all the gangs are.
A cop shouts out, "don't touch a police officer," and billings yells back "DON'T TOUCH US!"
#truckerbail #billingsbail #bailwithbest
#truckerbail #billingsbail #bailwithbest
He's now asking where "Natives" and "Indigenous people" are. "Calling all nations, calling all nations! We're making history here!"
And then...
"LET'S GO! LETSGOLETSGOLETSGO!"
And then...
"LET'S GO! LETSGOLETSGOLETSGO!"
In the video, the police are circling back to break the line of protesters again. Like the first time, it inspires Billings to shout "HOLD THE LINE!"
The video is actually incredibly repetitive.
The video is actually incredibly repetitive.
Dobec is thankfully going to skip us through some of this and fast forward us five minutes. From the skippy fast forward, it looks like we're going to get a slight change in content. Let's see.
Nope. "FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDOM!" still in front of the Chateau.
Billings is at least leading a chant of "FREE! DOM!" (with a decent cadence) so the audio is more coherent than before, at the very least.
#truckerbail
Billings is at least leading a chant of "FREE! DOM!" (with a decent cadence) so the audio is more coherent than before, at the very least.
#truckerbail
That one's over, thank goodness.
This vid is from Billings' facebook page. It apparently had 6000 comments. It's the video of Billings' arrest that was linked earlier WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY up in the thread.
Rather than having me summarize it, here you go again. Same one as before: facebook.com/10007094568810…
#truckerbail #georgebillings #billingsbail
#truckerbail #georgebillings #billingsbail
"I don't know if they're actually looking for me or not" right as a siren chirps is one of the highlights of that video (about three minutes in).
As he shouts "FREEDOM!" during his arrest, I desperately want to buy him a jail care package of a thesaurus.
thesaurus.com/browse/freedom
thesaurus.com/browse/freedom
"I know, I didn't do anything. I'm just having fun," Billings says as a convoy protester tells him "they're the guilty ones."
Billings complains that they "didn't even read him his rights"
(He's not being interrogated -- maybe he thinks asking if he has any weapons or pokey things is interrogation?)
(He's not being interrogated -- maybe he thinks asking if he has any weapons or pokey things is interrogation?)
"I promise this is the last one, your honour" Dobec says.
Oh, thank God.
This one is apparently a "Real Pat King" facebook page with 26,000 followers. The video is from Feb 23, titled "Convoy to Ottawa"
Dobec emphasizes this is after the arrest of both King and Billings.
Oh, thank God.
This one is apparently a "Real Pat King" facebook page with 26,000 followers. The video is from Feb 23, titled "Convoy to Ottawa"
Dobec emphasizes this is after the arrest of both King and Billings.
"You might have cleared us out ... but the war is far from over" says a robotic text-to-speech voice while a blaring rendition of EXTREMELY SOCIALIST WOODY GUTHRIE's "This Land is Your Land" plays.
"This is the case for the Crown," Dobec says.
"Perfect timing!" Justice Hackett says, noting it's one minute to one.
"Perfect timing!" Justice Hackett says, noting it's one minute to one.
Bykov says he intends to call a surety and possibly Billings. Madam Justice asks him for an estimate on how long Bykov needs after the lunch break.
Bykov says 30 minutes to an hour.
Crown and defence both agree it'll take them 30 minutes (each) for submissions.
Bykov says 30 minutes to an hour.
Crown and defence both agree it'll take them 30 minutes (each) for submissions.
"I think the bottom line is that you're not going to get a decision today," Justice Hackett says, doing some back-of-the-envelope math on lunch break + submissions + what defense wants to enter.
#truckerbail #billingsbail
#truckerbail #billingsbail
Oh no, the Crown is now saying somebody is live-streaming the bail hearing.
FOLKS, THERE IS NO CAMERAS IN A COURT. DO NOT DO THIS.
FOLKS, THERE IS NO CAMERAS IN A COURT. DO NOT DO THIS.
You may not video a hearing. You may not audio record a hearing except for note-taking purposes by leave of the court. You may not broadcast ANY of that.
"BuT iT'S oN zOoM" is not an excuse.
And this is why I'm not giving ANYBODY the Zoom link.
It's being Live Streamed by "The Great Rebellion" on facebook, being viewed by 1.2 MILLION (???) viewers.
Huh.
It's being Live Streamed by "The Great Rebellion" on facebook, being viewed by 1.2 MILLION (???) viewers.
Huh.
Talking about bringing charges, potentially. So.
Ok, we're having lunch until 2:15-ish. I'll pick up the thread then.
#truckerbail #billingsbail #bailhearing
#truckerbail #billingsbail #bailhearing
I'll be having the burrito bowl you folks decreed I order.
If anybody's looking for additional coverage of the Pat King bail hearing, you might also check out @CarymaRules -- she'll be covering that one as well when it resumes.
@CarymaRules Alright, you folks demanded an afternoon thread separately, so you can find that here 👇
https://twitter.com/atMatthewBest/status/1497286761873121280
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