Mountie testifies on conversations with accused at Coutts border blockade trial [Video]

An RCMP officer testified Tuesday that it was difficult to find anyone in charge in the early days of the COVID-era border blockade at Coutts, Alta., two years ago.

Sgt. Greg Tulloch was called as a witness at the trial of Alex Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos and Gerhard (George) Janzen.

The three men have pleaded not guilty to mischief over $5,000.

Crown prosecutors have told jurors they intend to prove the trio spearheaded the protest that tied up traffic between at the Canada-United States border for two weeks in a protest of COVID-19 rules and restrictions.

Tulloch testified he and his partner arrived Feb. 1, 2022, to spell off two other officers tasked with communicating with the protesters.

“Generally, the goal was to communicate that the highway needed to be reopened and what that would look like,” Tulloch said.

He said he and another officer entered the Saloon, a …