Crown seeks 9 years in prison for duo

Judge urged to impose lengthy weapons ban on protesters who believed they were at war'

The border blockade at Coutts, Alta., in 2022 was one of several protests held across the country against COVID-19 rules and vaccine mandates.

A Crown prosecutor says two men convicted of mischief and weapons offences at the 2022 border blockade at Coutts, Alta., should spend nine years in prison, but defence lawyers think their clients have already spent enough time behind bars.

Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert were convicted this month of public mischief over $5,000 and possessing a firearm dangerous to the public peace. Olienick was also convicted of possessing a pipe bomb.

Ajury found them not guilty of the most serious charge they faced: conspiracy to murder police officers.

Crown prosecutor Steven Johnston told a sentencing hearing Thursday that the case isn’t about the right to protest government policy and that believing in a cause doesn’t excuse committing a crime.