Trial of Coutts protesters resumes after men convicted of mischief, weapons charges

Lawyers for two men convicted of mischief at the border blockade at Coutts, Alta., are scheduled to appear in court in Lethbridge on Monday as the case moves toward sentencing.

A jury on Aug. 2 also found Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert guilty of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and Olienick was convicted of possessing a pipe bomb.

They were acquitted of the more serious charge of conspiring to murder police officers.

RCMP found a cache of weapons, ammunition and body armour near the blockade at the Canada-U.S. border crossing in 2022.

The blockade was one of several held across the country to protest COVID-19 rules and vaccine mandates.

The trial heard statements and text messages from the men warning that the blockade was also a last stand against a tyrannical federal government.