Randy Hillier facing charges related to ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest in Ottawa

Independent MPP Randy Hillier has been arrested and is now facing nine charges in relation to the Freedom Convoy that took over downtown Ottawa earlier this year.

By Patricia D'Cunha and The Canadian Press

Police in Ottawa have arrested and charged Ontario MPP Randy Hillier in connection to the “Freedom Convoy” protest in February.

Hillier arrived at police headquarters early Monday morning and told reporters he’d been advised by police on Sunday that charges had been laid and he understood they were related to the occupation of downtown Ottawa.

“Differing and dissenting views are now apparently criminal, so that is a disturbing trend,” he said.

Hillier, 64, from Perth, Ont., faces nine charges, including Assault Peace Or Public Officer, Obstruct/Resist A Public Officer, Mischief/Obstruct Property Exceeding $5,000, and Counsel An Uncommitted Indictable Offence.

He is scheduled to appear in court later in the day.

“In February, Ottawa Police received multiple complaints about social media posts and other activities of an individual as part of the ongoing illegal protests,” police said in a release on Monday.

“An investigation was commenced and information gathered by a police task force initiated to investigate criminal behaviour during the protest. That task force continues its work.”

Hillier said he has had “thousands of interactions” with people and has no idea what led to the charge of assaulting a peace or public officer.

“I only ever greeted people with love and affection, an embrace and handshakes, so unless handshakes and warm embraces are now considered assault, I have no idea,” he said.

Hillier recently received intense criticism for supporting and attending the Ottawa occupation by anti-vaccine mandate protesters. He appeared to urge people to jam 911 lines with non-emergency calls on Twitter, leading to Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson referring to him as a “complete disgrace.”

The MPP has been a vocal anti-lockdown advocate during the pandemic, accused of anti-COVID-19 rhetoric and encouraging and supporting demonstrators of the “Freedom Convoy.”

Earlier this month, Twitter suspended his account, saying the MPP violated its rules.

Before the pandemic, Hillier was removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus and now sits as an independent. The MPP, who has represented Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston since 2018, announced last month that he will not seek re-election in the provincial election in June.

Earlier this year, the Ontario legislature passed a motion barring him from the chamber and calling on him to apologize for what Government House Leader Paul Calandra called racist and discriminatory statements about federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, and for social media posts that Calandra says were insinuating a call to violence.

Hillier has denied that his posts labelling Alghabra as a terrorist were racist, because he didn’t reference Alghabra’s religion or ethnicity and also called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his cabinet, and Ford and his cabinet terrorists.

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With files from Lucas Casaletto of CityNews

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