The Epoch Times: 'Hence when Mr. Trudeau unloaded his volley calling them racists and homophobes, and Jagmeet Singh, his political dance partner, weighed in even more callously, and columnists reached for the lower drawers of their vocabulary and declared them yobs and louts—these characterizations provided at least some cover for the gross overreach of that emergency declaration.
'It was not justified. But it went into effect, the “occupation” was cleared, the leaders arrested or threatened to be, bank accounts of protesters frozen as if they were “terrorists,” and some sent straight to jail.
'Among them, perhaps the first to see the iron bars from the inside, was Tamara Lich, one of the convoy organizers. I do not know Miss Lich but during the “insurrection” did follow her on Twitter. I was impressed by the stability and calmness of her postings, and never once heard a “call to arms,” a cursing of the police (so essential to every other kind of protest), nowhere an incitement to violence, and nowhere a call for “direct action” (the black bloc euphemism for vandalism, street mayhem, and physical assault).
'However, upon being taken to court she was denied bail. Tell me differently if I am wrong, but Miss Lich had neither committed nor incited any violent behaviour whatsoever. She was not arrested carrying a gun, or after some shooting offence, which is a common reason for arrest in many Canadian cities, and frequently a repeat offence, for which bail is granted.
'But not Miss Lich. She was deemed by a judge who was once a federal Liberal candidate too dangerous for bail. She was immured for the time being.
'On March 2, she appeared again for a second bail hearing. And here is the hard part.
She was brought into court shackled with leg chains. What was that about, and who ordered such a wickedness?
'Was this woman a danger to the court? Was she expected to leap upon the guards and rush the bench? Was she such a danger to the Canadian state that even at a bail hearing she had to be shackled?
'O sweet, sweet Canada that witnessed such pathetic overreaction.
'The judge, may he be praised, ordered the shackles removed.'