OTTAWA, ON: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that the retrial of peaceful protestor Evan Blackman is set to begin on Thursday, August 14, 2025, in the Ontario Court of Justice in Ottawa. When Mr. Blackman was first charged with mischief and obstruction for his participation in the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests, Toronto-Dominion Bank froze several of his bank accounts, sparking a national debate about government overreach.
Mr. Blackman was acquitted of all charges in October 2023, but the Crown appealed that decision.
If Mr. Blackman is convicted at his second trial, his lawyer will ask the court to stay all proceedings against him as a remedy for the freezing of his bank accounts.
The judge hearing Mr. Blackman’s retrial has already compelled TD Bank and the RCMP to hand over records about the bank account freezes. “The freezing of Mr. Blackman’s bank accounts was an extreme overreach on the part of the police and the federal government,” says constitutional lawyer Chris Fleury.
“These records will hopefully reveal exactly how and why Mr. Blackman’s accounts were frozen,” he says.
Further information about these records may be revealed, if necessary, at another hearing scheduled for Thursday, August 21, 2025.
Video evidence from the original trial shows Mr. Blackman acting as a peacemaker during the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests, at one point even holding back other protesters to prevent confrontation with police, kneeling in front of officers for several minutes, removing his hat, placing his hands on his chest, and singing “O Canada” shortly before his arrest.
Constitutional lawyer Chris Fleury said, “After being acquitted on all charges following his first trial, and being called a peacemaker by the judge, Mr. Blackman has endured another two years of legal uncertainty.”
“Mr. Blackman is hopeful that he will once again be acquitted, and this matter will finally end,” he added.
