Coutts protester says he fled after arrival of RCMP and helicopter: ‘I was terrified’

A protester astatine nan separator blockade astatine Coutts, Alta., described successful tribunal Tuesday a constabulary beingness truthful overwhelming and intimidating that he decided to spell location early.

“I observed nan chopper (and) drones. It looked for illustration a segment retired of a movie … a afloat subject programme coming astatine me. On foot, location was astir apt 30 aliases 40 RCMP successful afloat riot gear,” Daryl Yorgason testified.

“We conscionable decided it was clip to go, because we didn’t want to get ambushed astatine nighttime erstwhile we were sleeping.

Yorgason, a motortruck driver, mechanic and husbandman from Stavely, Alta., testified for nan defence astatine nan proceedings of Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert.

The brace are charged pinch conspiracy to execution constabulary astatine nan blockade of trucks and different vehicles successful 2022. The objection lasted for 2 weeks, tying up postulation astatine nan separator crossing between Alberta and nan U.S. to protestation COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates.

Olienick’s lawyer, Marilyn Burns, has called protesters to nan witnesser guidelines to overgarment a image of her customer and others astatine nan blockade arsenic earnest citizens who believed they had a work to enactment against a totalitarian authorities that had mislaid its measurement and was seeking to extremity basal individual freedoms.

The blockade ended peacefully aft constabulary made arrests and seized guns, ammunition and assemblage armour adjacent nan protestation site.

Yorgason told tribunal he arrived connected nan first time of nan protest.

He said nan pandemic caused him to adjacent his trucking business and he, his father, brother-in-law, woman and sister decided to subordinate nan demonstration.

“Maybe we could get our lives back. Maybe I could get my occupation back,” Yorgason testified

He said astatine nan start, location was nary scheme aliases organization.

“Everybody was trying to fig retired what to do. They were trying to get a spokesperson. Nobody had a hint what was going on. It was for illustration herding frightened cats,” he said.

A mates of days later, he said, everything changed.

“The constabulary had showed up. And past soon after, successful nan afternoon, I was sitting successful nan motortruck erstwhile everything really started getting crazy,” he said.

He said his sister and woman went to a edifice for safety.

“The helicopters started hovering by a motortruck and past nan constabulary started coming successful for illustration crazy,” he said.

“I phoned my dad. I tried to calm him down. He’s had six bosom attacks and he was scared. He was terrified and truthful was I. They’re coming successful afloat riot cogwheel astatine ya.”

Yorgason took a photograph of 9 constabulary officers approaching his truck. He said nan RCMP were threatening to apprehension anybody who was there.

“All their faces were covered. There were accents I’ve ne'er heard — I deliberation eastbound European, I don’t know.”

During cross-examination, Crown charismatic Matt Dalidowicz asked Yorgason why he noted nan overseas accents.

Yorgason said he believed nan pandemic had stretched nationalist resources truthful thinly, “they were bringing successful anyone they could find to beryllium down location for a constabulary presence.”

He added, “I was getting frightened because they did not look for illustration they were normal. They did not enactment for illustration they were normal RCMP aliases immoderate I person ever dealt pinch before.”

Dalidowicz asked Yorgason astir constabulary actions astatine nan site.

“Did you ever spot constabulary officers battle anyone?” Dalidowicz asked.

“No,” Yorgason replied.

“No.”

“Did you ever spot constabulary officers resistance anyone retired of their conveyance utilizing force?”

“No.”

Yorgason told tribunal he has not been backmost to Coutts since.

The Crown has introduced constabulary grounds and weapons grounds to reason nan accused were intent connected sidesplitting Mounties to support nan blockade intact.

Undercover officers person testified Olienick told them he believed constabulary were pawns of authorities and that if officers came to nan blockade he would “slit their throats.”