The sentencing of Freedom Convoy organizer Pat King has begun

Sentencing hearings began Thursday for Freedom Convoy organizer Pat King for his role in the disruptive protest that brought downtown Ottawa to a standstill for more than three weeks in early 2022.

Judge Charles Hackland told the court Thursday morning that he would decide when to issue his ruling at a later date.

Victim impact statements, a pre-sentence report on King’s history and a jailhouse interview he gave in July 2022 are included in sentencing documents.

Crown prosecutor Moise Karimji is seeking a significant sentence for King, who was in November convicted in the Ontario Superior Court of five criminal charges: two counts of contempt of court and one count each of disorderly conduct, counseling to commit a crime and counseling to obstruct the public or a law enforcement officer.

The maximum penalty for hooliganism is 10 years in prison.

Pat King, left, one of the organizers of the protest, poses for photos in front of Parliament Hill as truckers and their supporters continue to protest against mandatory vaccines for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, February 16, 2022. . — King, left, poses for a selfie with a member of the Freedom Convoy in front of Parliament Hill on February 16, 2022. In November, King was convicted of participating in the protest. (Patrick Doyle/Reuters)

Hackland determined that King “personally led a large convoy” and used his social media presence to plan and encourage subversive activities.

The court found that King’s own videos on social media documented his leadership and broadcast his intentions both before and during the protest.

Evidence presented during the trial showed that King ordered truckers to ignore a court order prohibiting them from honking their horns downtown. He also organized “slow traffic” near Ottawa International Airport and helped block Wellington Street near Parliament Hill.

King was acquitted of three counts of intimidation, and Hackland noted in his ruling that he did not threaten violence or damage property.

King’s lawyer, Natasha Calvino, previously expressed disappointment at the decision, but pointed to his acquittal on the intimidation charges as a sign that King’s intentions were not violent.

A man surrounded by supporters leaves the courthouse in autumn. — King is surrounded by supporters as he leaves the Ottawa courthouse on November 22, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

King’s arrest in February 2022, which was broadcast on social media, made national headlines. After the arrest, the king faced a lengthy bail process during which he was held in custody for fear that he might do it again.

In the end he was released in July 2022 under strict conditions, including restrictions on his use of social media.

In August 2023 King was briefly imprisoned again for allegedly violating his bail conditions, but was later released under stricter restrictions.

Thursday marks 1,064 days since King’s arrest.