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Freedom Convoy Ottawa COVID-19 Protest Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: A class action lawsuit against members of the Freedom Convoy is now asking for $306 million in damages.
- Why: Thirty-one new defendants have been added to the class action lawsuits, while up to 12,000 residences, hundreds of businesses, and two prominent downtown restaurant owners added as claimants.
- Where: The Freedom Convoy is currently in its third week protesting in downtown Ottawa.
A class action lawsuit targeting protestors participating in the “Freedom Convoy” is now asking for $306 million in damages after 31 new defendants were named.
Plaintiffs claim the members of the Freedom Convoy have caused a disruption to their lives during what is now a three-week occupation of Ottawa’s downtown city center, reports Canada.com.
The class action lawsuit originally sought $9.8 million in damages when it was first filed by plaintiff Zexi Li earlier this month
The Freedom Convoy, which began as a group of truckers protesting a vaccination requirement to pass between the Canada and US border, has turned into a broader protest of Canada’s COVID-19 restrictions and regulations.
Thousands of individuals have joined the protest at times, which is based in Canada’s capital city and is now in its third week.
The claim has been expanded to include anyone who donated money to the protest through GiveSendGo, after GoFundMe shut down the campaign after saying it found evidence of “violence and other unlawful activity.”
Two well-known downtown Ottawa restaurant owners — Henry Assad, owner of the Happy Goat, and Ivan Gedz of Union Local 613 — also joined the class action lawsuit, along with a ByWard market server who says they have been put out of work since the beginning of the demonstration, reports Canada.com
Claim Adds Up To 12,000 Residences, Hundreds Of Businesses
The claim has also been amended to cover a larger area, adding as many as 12,000 residences and hundreds of businesses.
The move comes three days after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act, the first time it has ever been used in response to a protest or blockade, reports CBC.
An Ottawa judge had already granted a 10-day injunction to stop the protestors from blaring their truck horns in the city, however demonstrators reportedly began disregarding the order after four days, reports CBC.
The injunction was supposed to keep protestors from blaring their truck horns through Feb. 18, and gave the police the power to arrest anyone who disobeyed it.
The US government has also taken notice of the Freedom Convoy, urging Canada to use its federal powers to end the protest.
Have you been inconvenienced by the Freedom Convoy? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiff is represented by Paul Champ and Emilie Taman of Champ & Associates.
The Freedom Convoy Truck Honking Class Action Lawsuit is Li v. Barber, et al. in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
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Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:
- Freedom Convoy Problems Persist As Ottawa Mayor Declares State Of Emergency
- Freedom Convoy Truck Drivers ‘Hurting Economy’ With Bridge Blockades, U.S. Urges Canada to Act
- ‘Freedom Convoy’ Class Action Alleges Organizers Violate Residents’ Rights
- ‘Freedom Convoy’ Protests Latest In Pushbacks Against COVID Regulations, Mandates
