Coutts

Coutts is a village in southern Alberta, at the border crossing into the United States involving Highway 4. It was one of the locations of the Convoyists.

Mayor Jim Willett initially warned of a flood of protestors and spectators, and while he did manage to get a promise the highway would not be blocked, said promise only lasted for two hours. His first concern was to keep Secondary Highway 500 open for emergency service to rural areas, followed by residents' freedom of movement, and access. He described the police raid on February 14 as an unforseen and unwelcome event, as the presence of armed domestic terrorists in the community took everyone by surprise.

Four men, Chris Carbert, Christopher Lysak, Anthonly Olienick and Jerry Morin, were charged with possession of weapons for a dangerous purpose, mischief over $5,000, and conspiracy to commit murder. Nine additional people were charged with mischief and unlawful weapon offenses. [1]

One of the arrestees, Jaclyne Martin, claimed that the RCMP was provoking the convoyists by pushing them to a violent demonstration. One of her quotes, “no longer a keyboard war . . . this is a citizens’ army . . . ” along with the discovered cache of weapons undermines the claim. It is additionally undermined by affiliation to organizations, such as Lysak being connected to de facto Diagolon leader Jeremy MacKenzie.[2]

Joanne Person was charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle when trying to breach the blockade. She drove southbound in the northbound lanes of the divided highway and crashed head-on with another vehicle.[3]

Despite the potentially violent intentions of the protestors, they were hugged by police as they left. [4]

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Coutts

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