Pawlowski gets 60 days on charges
By Lethbridge Herald on September 19, 2023.
Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Artur Pawlowski leaves the Lethbridge Courthouse on Monday. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail but will serve no actual time after he was given credit for time served in remand.Delon Shurtz
Lethbridge Herald
Using the same kind of language that got in him trouble in the first place, Calgary Pastor Artur Pawlowski urged his supporters to “hold the line” in their fight against what he calls the political liars, manipulators and traitors who are oppressing Canadians and taking away their rights.
“I hope that my oppressors are listening, because this is not over, this is just the beginning,” Pawlowski said Monday, only minutes after a judge sentenced him to 60 days in jail for mischief and breaching release orders.
Pawlowski won’t serve any more time in custody, however, after Justice Gordon Krinke gave him credit for time he already spent in remand custody, effectively completing his sentence.
Close to 200 supporters inside and outside the Lethbridge courthouse cheered Krinke’s sentence which, while more than the eight days sought by defence, is considerably less than the eight to 10 months recommended by the Crown.
Pawlowski was found guilty in May on one count each of mischief, by inciting protesters at the Coutts border last year to continue the illegal blockade, and breaching conditions of an earlier release order to keep the peace.
Pawlowski attended the blockade on Feb. 3, 2022, and during an impassioned speech told protesters as they prepared to leave the border crossing and take the protest to Edmonton, to remain and not give up the fight.
“Don’t you dare break the line,” he said.
In his finding of guilt last May, Krinke said “I am satisfied Mr. Pawlowski intended to incite the audience to continue the blockade, intended to incite protesters to commit mischief.” Krinke said Pawlowski also failed to keep the peace when he counselled others to commit criminal offences.
However, during Monday’s sentencing hearing Krinke said Pawlowski was not involved in the planning of the so-called “Freedom Convoy” and didn’t play a major role with his appearance at the border blockade.
Crown Prosecutor Steven Johnston pointed out the case is not about freedom of religion or freedom of speech, both of which Pawlowski had previously referenced.
“This case is a straight forward criminal case in which the importance of the rule of law must be reaffirmed,” Johnston said.
He said Pawlowski’s lack of remorse and his belief that he didn’t do anything wrong, indicate that he will continue to break the law in the future, unless he is specifically deterred by a significant jail sentence.
“It’s about general deterrence for other people who might think that it’s a good idea to have a protest and break the law, and it’s also, for this accused specifically, so that he realizes that by doing the same sort of thing again, antagonizing a group of people to break the law is itself against the law, and the consequence is he will go to jail.”
Following his guilty verdict four months ago, Pawlowski told reporters and supporters he would do it all over again, and that he was proud to fight for the rights and freedoms of Canadians.
“I’m not ashamed of what I did,” he said. “If I had a chance to do it again, I’ll do it again, gladly.”
And following Monday’s hearing, he urged people to continue the fight against oppression and to stop voting the same politicians, the “beasts” and “monsters,” into power.
“We must plow. We must stand up. Hold the line. Hold line Canadians, hold the line Albertans.”
Pawlowski’s lawyer Sarah Miller painted a different picture of her client than the one painted by the Crown, and said he is a “teddy bear” and a kind man of integrity and honour. She also said there is no indication that he does not respect the rule of law, although he may disagree with it.
20-19
god told me that it is due to the massive prayers that the sentence is 60 days, otherwise would have been 61 days.