Montreal climate activists seek to have bridge-scaling charges dropped – Montreal

Climate change activist Olivier Huard, one of two people charged after scaling Montreal’s Jacques Cartier Bridge last year, is asking the court to drop the case.

“We want it cancelled because all this legal procedure is a complete mistake from the beginning,” Huard said.

Huard and several others climbed the bridge above the St. Lawrence River on Oct. 22, 2024, as part of a protest targeting Enbridge’s Line 9B pipeline, which transports crude oil from Ontario to Montreal.

“We want it shut down because it’s an old pipeline. It’s 50 years old. It’s leaking every year,” he said.

The protest had consequences for both Huard and co-accused Jacob Pirro. The pair spent more than a week in jail following their arrests. “Olivier and I had to spend respectively 10 and eight days in jail before being told it was okay for us to come back to society,” Pirro told Global News.

Both men are charged with mischief and obstructing a police officer. If convicted, they could face several months of house arrest.

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Their legal team argues such a sentence would be disproportionate based on precedent.

“Their rights have been violated. They’ve been treated more severely than other people who’ve done similar things,” said their lawyer Barbara Bedont.

She argues the proceedings amount to an abuse of process by the prosecutor’s office.

“They’re trying to make an example of Mr. Huard and Mr. Pirro and that is illegitimate.”

Crown prosecutors reject that characterization. “We disagree with this but unfortunately we have to keep our arguments for the court, which we will present and defend,” said Crown prosecutor François Parent.

Court hearings are expected to continue until Friday. A decision could come next week. If the charges are not withdrawn, the case will proceed to trial.