By
May 11, 2021
-Western Standard
The RCMP has handed Alberta rancher Ty Northcott three summonses for holding the No More Lockdowns Rodeo, near Bowden.
An RCMP officer served Northcott, and his wife Gail, with the summons on Monday afternoon at the gate of his ranch.
The pair have been ordered to appear in court in Red Deer on May 17 to face the Public Health Act charges.
Northcott told the Western Standard he intends to plead not guilty.
“The sooner we can get our day in court the better. We want to challenge Dr. (Deena) Hinshaw and (Premier) Jason Kenney on their draconian measures. We want to prove them to be the tyrants they are,” said Northcott.
Northcott is being represented by lawyers James Kitchen, of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) and lawyer and local Rancher Dan Harder, from Olds.
Northcott is the latest COVID-19 protest organizer to face the wrath of the authorites.
On Saturday, the owner of the Whistle Stop Cafe, in Mirror, Chris Scott was handcuffed by RCMP and hauled away after 1,500 people went to a protest on his property. In Calgary the same day, Pastor Artrur Pawlowski was pulled over and arrested in the middle of 17 Ave. S.E. for continuing to hold packed church services.
Another Alberta pastor, James Coates, was jailed for a month and is currently before the court on the same charge.
The No More Lockdowns Rodeo was held over two days on the May 1 weekend on the Northcott land, south of Bowden.
Coming from a historic Alberta ranching family, Northcott’s livestock business has been crippled by successive provincial lockdowns.
More than 4,000 people attended the event which featured a full rodeo and speakers slamming the lockdowns.
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