Two men who became the faces of a blockade at a key Alberta border crossing in 2022 need to do jail time to send a message that actions have consequences, a Crown prosecutor told court Thursday.

Defence lawyers for the men argued that time behind bars isn91裸聊视频檛 necessary.

Marco Van Huigenbos, Gerhard (George) Janzen and a third man 91裸聊视频� Alex Van Herk 91裸聊视频� were found guilty last year of mischief over $5,000 for their actions at the protest over COVID-19 measures and vaccine mandates.

The sentencing hearing went ahead for Van Huigenbos and Janzen. Lawyer Michael Johnston told court that Van Herk had fired him, and a 30-day delay was granted for Van Herk to obtain new counsel.

Prosecutor Steven Johnston said Van Huigenbos and Janzen put themselves front and centre at the illegal blockade, which shut down the Canada-U. S. border at Coutts for two weeks.

Johnston recommended Van Huigenbos be sentenced to nine months and Janzen six months.

He told Justice Keith Yamauchi that Van Huigenbos was more to blame, as he was in a leadership position.

91裸聊视频淭hese two men are not at the same level,91裸聊视频� Johnston told the first day of the two-day hearing.

91裸聊视频淚t is the Crown91裸聊视频檚 view that, realistically, the most appropriate sentence for these gentlemen is to sentence them to a term of jail 91裸聊视频� real jail.

91裸聊视频淵ou can91裸聊视频檛 break the law and not expect to be punished for it.91裸聊视频�

The lawyer representing Van Huigenbos, Brendan Miller, told court his client91裸聊视频檚 underlying motive was political advocacy and the desire to be heard by the government.

He asked for an absolute or conditional discharge, a suspended sentence with probation or community service.

If the court decides jail time is warranted, Miller said, then the sentence should be short or a conditional sentence of 60 days to be served in the community.

91裸聊视频淢r. Van Huigenbos91裸聊视频� right to equality before the law will be violated if he is not put in the same position of the hundreds of 91裸聊视频� protesters that the RCMP did not charge and the Crown did not prosecute,91裸聊视频� Miller said.

He said his client didn91裸聊视频檛 physically participate in the blockade or instruct protesters. Van Huigenbos simply showed up and negotiated with the RCMP on behalf of the main protesters, said Miller.

The Crown said it91裸聊视频檚 an aggravating factor that the men were motivated by politics.

91裸聊视频淧olitically motivated crime always is a calculated decision 91裸聊视频� we don91裸聊视频檛 change our governments in this country through criminal acts,91裸聊视频� Johnston said.

91裸聊视频淭his was the hostage taking of a highway with the goal of creating political change.91裸聊视频�

The courtroom was packed Thursday, and about a dozen police officers on bicycles were outside.

Calgary pastor Artur Pawlowski, who was also convicted of mischief for a speech he gave to protesters at Coutts, said he was praying that Van Huigenbos and Janzen wouldn91裸聊视频檛 suffer jail time.

Defence lawyers didn91裸聊视频檛 call evidence during the trial, and Van Huigenbos, Janzen and Van Herk didn91裸聊视频檛 testify.

Mounties told the jury that, as the protest dragged on, officers increasingly turned to the three men to negotiate. The Crown argued the trio became the faces of the blockade and spoke on behalf of protesters.

In a separate case, protesters Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert were charged with conspiracy to murder police officers at the blockade.

In September, a jury found them not guilty of that offence but convicted them of possessing a firearm dangerous to the public peace and mischief over $5,000. Olienick was also convicted of possessing a pipe bomb.

They were each sentenced to 6 1/2 years behind bars. Their mischief convictions netted concurrent terms of six months.