Hillier, 64, arrived at Ottawa Police Headquarters early Monday morning and turned himself in to police. He faces nine charges, including assaulting a peace officer. His release is subject to strict conditions, including the $ 35,000 bail and the order not to post on social media about the “Freedom Pact” orders and the COVID-19 mask and vaccine. Hillier faces two counts of obstructing a public official, advising on malicious behavior, and misappropriating property over $ 5,000. He is also charged with obstructing a person assisting a peace officer, assaulting a peace or public official, and advising on a felony that has not been committed. Hillier, the MP for Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston, told reporters outside the station that police called him Sunday morning and told him about the charges. “We know it all has to do with the opposing views I often expressed at the Freedom March, in the truckers’ protest,” Hillier said. Hillier has spoken out against public health measures and vaccine orders for COVID-19 and has been a vocal voice during the three-week protest in central Ottawa. Suspended by Twitter earlier this month for violating Twitter’s COVID-19 vaccine misinformation policy. A statement from his office later on Monday said Hillier was looking forward to the opportunity to defend himself against the allegations. The allegations relate to Hillier’s involvement in the Freedom Convoy and the “active encouragement” of others bringing vehicles to the city center and attending the protest, prosecutor Tim Whitman told the court on Monday. Hillier asked people to park in traffic jams, organized and spoke at a press conference on behalf of the escort protesters, according to the court. Hillier also encouraged his social media followers to call the Ottawa Police 9-1-1 emergency line after police urged people not to block telephone lines. When police asked people to stop calling, Hillier wrote on Twitter: “Keep calling. “In a democracy, expressing oneself is a fundamental freedom. # FreedomConvoy2022”, the court followed. Crown said this led to an increase in malicious calls to 9-1-1 as well as to the non-emergency police line.
Incident on Parliament Hill
Three of the charges, including the attack on a peace officer, are related to an incident on January 29, the first Saturday of the protest, as heard in court. Hillier and Canadian People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier went to the west gate of Parliament Hill. A member of parliament’s security service stopped a group of people Hillier was with because one of them had a megaphone, which was banned in Hill. The officer told the team that they could go to the Hill, but could not bring the megaphone. Crown claims Hillier threw the gate out of the way to allow people to flood checkpoints as he shouted “let’s go” and used his shoulder and hip to push an officer off the road. The Crown also claims that as the occupation continued, Hillier posted several times on social media advising others to stop the police, even when police officers began to enter to disperse the protest. “Encouraging others to take part in the occupation of downtown Ottawa and participating in the same protest has resulted in endangering Ottawa residents,” Whitman said. Before handing himself in to police, Hillier denied attacking a police officer, saying he did not know where the charge came from. “I had thousands of interactions. I only greeted people with love and affection and hugs and handshakes,” he said. “Unless handshakes and warm hugs are considered an attack; I have no idea.”
Hillier was released on $ 35,000 bond
Hillier was released on $ 35,000 bail combined with his guarantor. He will not be allowed to visit downtown Ottawa until he has met with his lawyer. Hillier is also banned from posting on social media about “Freedom Convoy”, the COVID-19 mask and vaccine orders. He is also prohibited from attending or providing any support to the “Freedom Agreement” or any organization or cause against the mask or against vaccines. Hillier’s lawyer argued that these terms were too restrictive and that Hillier should simply be barred from posting, attending, or supporting Freedom Convoy. However, peace judge Christina Logue sided with the Crown, citing “unquestionable concerns about public safety in the face of these protests”. In its ruling, it noted that the Freedom Accord’s protest against COVID-19 orders was “not over”, referring to an escort that passed through Ottawa over the weekend. Hillier has also been banned from communicating with a number of other people facing charges in connection with the protests. Hillier also faces previous charges stemming from protests he staged last year over public health measures for COVID-19. He told reporters Monday that he faces 25 charges in connection with the rallies, which could result in $ 2.5 million in fines and up to 25 years in prison if convicted. “Different and different views are now obviously criminal,” Hillier said. “So this is a worrying trend.” Hillier was first elected to the Ontario Legislature in 2007. He was ousted from the Conservative parliamentary group in 2019 and is not running for re-election this year.
Voters react
In Carleton Place, Ontario, part of Hillier constituency just west of the capital, Bill Janes says there may have been a time when the longtime MPP was performing his role, but it is no longer so. “I think Randy resigned, he went to a certain track and I think he left me as an unrepresented voter,” said Jane, a retired nurse. “I could not go to Randy Hillier for advice or to his office for advice on COVID or COVID or vaccination and because of the way he went. withdrew from the fight “. Terry Ritchie, who lives just west of Perth, Ohio, has similar views, saying Hillier’s stance against COVID-COVID went far beyond politics. “He did not represent the equestrian population at all, he represented himself,” says Ritchie. “And he fooled himself if you asked me.”
