Canadian Pastor Artur Pawlowski has been found guilty of violating Alberta’s Critical Infrastructure Defence Act, a provincial law drafted in response to railway and pipeline protests in early 2020, according to a report at a conservative Canadian publication, Rebel News. The decision marks the first time someone has been charged and convicted under this legislation.
Pastor Artur gained notoriety as an outspoken critic of COVID-19 lockdowns and mandates. He was charged under the act after delivering a speech to truckers and their supporters blockading the Canada-U.S. border crossing in Coutts in February 2022. Officials alleged that the speech, which was posted to the pastor’s YouTube page, violated the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act, a viewpoint with which the judge concurred.
The Coutts border blockade was part of a larger movement, involving truckers and their supporters who opposed COVID-19 restrictions and mandates. Pastor Artur’s passionate sermon, which inspired the blockade, was met with mixed reactions from the public and the authorities.
The guilty verdict came despite Pastor Artur’s previous legal victories, where he faced multiple charges for feeding the homeless in violation of COVID restrictions and protesting lockdowns and mandates. His actions have garnered him both praise and criticism, positioning him as a polarizing figure within the debate over COVID-19 restrictions.
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Rebel News’ Ezra Levant reported live from the courthouse in Lethbridge as the verdict was announced, sharing insight into the factors that led the judge to the guilty decision. While some see the verdict as a blow to freedom of speech and assembly, some attempted to argue that it represents a necessary measure to protect public safety and critical infrastructure.
As the debate around COVID-19 restrictions continues, the conviction of Pastor Artur Pawlowski under the Alberta Critical Infrastructure Defence Act highlights the tension between individual liberties and a tyrannical government during an unprecedented attack against the free world.