Artur Pawlowski faces charges in first day of trial

Micah Quinn  February 2, 2023 Bridge City News

Calgary street preacher and now leader of the Independence Party of Alberta, Artur Pawlowski, was in Lethbridge court on Thursday. Pawlowski was charged with inciting mischief, counseling interference with critical infrastructure and failing to keep the peace when he spoke at the Coutts Border Blockade last winter. Pawlowski says the Crown prosecutor did not bring forth any witnesses on Thursday.

“The only thing that the Crown has presented was my sermon to the truckers and the farmers includes exactly one year ago. What did I say during the speech? Well, I said to the people to stand for the ground. I told them to do it peacefully. No guns, no swords. But the Crown prosecutor is comparing my speech to Rwanda genocide. I mean, that was a shocker. Well, I’m hoping to be vindicated hundred percent. I mean, I’ve done nothing wrong. If this is a trial of the century, if I’m convicted by giving people a sermon from our heart, reminding them about our history of the solidarity movement, if that’s criminal behavior, there goes your freedom of expression. There goes your freedom of religion. There goes all your freedoms.”

Artur Pawloski’s brother, Dawid, was also at the court house and explained why he believes his brother is innocent.

“What did my brother do at the border? He was called there to officiate a church service. So now you want to tell me that in Canada you cannot officiate a church service as a clergy man? What else did he do? He inspired the people to stand for their families, for their jobs, for their God given freedoms. And on top of that, they had a Holy Communion. So, what the Holy Communion,nNow, if you do it as a clergyman or just a citizen, you’re faced with a ten and a half year prison term. It’s absolute insanity.”

The trial involving Artur Pawlowski continues tomorrow at the Lethbridge provincial courthouse.