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Canadian “Freedom Convoy” leader Tamara Lich has been arrested by police in Ottawa, according to online reports.
CBC News reporter David Cochrane wrote in a tweet: “Convoy organizer Tamara Lich was arrested Thursday evening by Ottawa police and also remains in police custody. Both she and Chris Barber – who was arrested earlier – are expected to be charged criminally, according to sources.”
Lich, who started the GoFundMe account which raised millions for those participating in the convoy protest and was later halted, said in a tearful clip shared to social media on Wednesday that she was anticipating the arrest. Thanking those who stood alongside her, Lich said she is “ready” and “not afraid.”
“There’s a pretty good chance – well I think it’s inevitable at this point – but, uh, I’ll probably be going somewhere tomorrow where I’ll be getting three square meals a day. And that’s OK,” Lich said in the video.
Chris Barber, another key organizer of the Freedom Convoy protest, was also arrested in Ottawa on Thursday.
Freedom Convoy protest signs in Ottawa, Canada
(Fox News Digital/Lisa Bennatan)
Barber, who is a senior convoy leader, is expected to face criminal charges according to the CBC. He has previously said in a press release that politicians have declined to engage in “serious dialogue.”
The arrest comes after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act on Monday, which gives the government power to clear protests by towing vehicles, and even more direct measures such as freezing personal bank accounts.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau comments on the ongoing truckers mandate protest during a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada on February 14, 2022.
(Photo by DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images)
“These blockades are illegal, and if you are still participating, the time to go home is now,” Trudeau said. “This is about keeping Canadians safe, protecting peoples’ jobs and restoring faith in our institutions.”
Trudeau and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti said that the move is temporary and will be geographically limited as well as in scope, and also said that the Canadian military will not intervene.
Fox News’ Adam Sabes contributed to this article.
