Patrick King at the 'Freedom Convoy' protest back in February 2022.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK/The Real Pat King
September 25, 2024 - 7:00 AM
Patrick King is on trial for his role in the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa back in 2022, and former BC Conservative candidate Alexandra Wright is hosting a fundraiser for his legal defence in Kelowna this weekend.
Wright owns Sweet Cherry Stables where there are going to be food trucks, live music, and more from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sept. 28.
“He was jailed in terms of the Freedom Convoy and he still has a fair amount of legal expenses,” Wright said. “It’s just to help him out, legal bills are not cheap, as we all know.”
King has been on trial for charges of mischief, counselling others to commit mischief, obstructing police and other crimes. The closing arguments were delivered in July and King was released on bail. The verdict is expected in October. His bail conditions prohibit him from using social media for anything other than fundraising for his legal defence.
He’s also not allowed to organize protests or demonstrations, but fundraising events like the one at Sweet Cherry Stables are allowed. King is going to be there in person this weekend.
Wright expects roughly 200 or 300 people to show up, but said she isn’t organizing the event.
READ MORE: Ousted Kelowna BC Conservative candidate takes former party to court
“There's two camps of people. A lot of people are very happy because they don't feel that this issue was really put to bed,” she said. “Then you have other people who honestly think that cancel culture is a thing and that they can try to intimidate and bully us into not hosting it.”
Wright was removed as the Kelowna-Mission candidate for the BC Conservatives on Aug. 10, and has since filed a lawsuit against the provincial party. She said she wouldn’t have organized the event if she were still a politician.
“I never would have done this if I was a Conservative candidate,” she said. “This is a little bit of my concern with the BC Conservatives. Rustad came out yesterday or they unleashed that footage about him saying he wouldn't get vaccinated again. But then rather than back up that statement and be proud of it, suddenly we're running away again.”
Wright hopes the event will help open up a discourse about the controversial figure.
“It's totally family friendly, bring your kids. Maybe start listening to your neighbours instead of thinking that you're smarter than them,” she said. “People are so scared to even donate a gift basket to this event or to be seen as supporting it. And I just don't understand what kind of society we're creating.”
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