Freedom Convoy Organizer Pat King Sentenced to Three Months of House Arrest

The Ontario Superior Court rejected the Crown's call for a 10-year sentence, citing concerns over chilling political expression.

Pat King, a leader in the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa, was sentenced to three months of house arrest, followed by 12 months of probation and 100 hours of community service.
King was found guilty of five charges, including mischief and counseling to commit mischief, but was acquitted of three intimidation-related charges.
The Crown had sought a 10-year prison sentence, arguing that King's actions caused significant disruption, but the judge ruled this penalty would be excessive and risk deterring political expression.
The protests, which opposed COVID-19 mandates, gridlocked downtown Ottawa for weeks and prompted the federal government to invoke the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canada’s history.
Justice Charles Hackland acknowledged King's leadership role but noted his efforts to de-escalate the situation and emphasized that he was not solely responsible for the protest's impact.