First court appearance for alleged Coutts blockade organizers marked by protests

Three men, who police say were the main organizers of a major traffic blockade in southern Alberta, made their first court appearance in Lethbridge on Tuesday. Marco Van Huigenbos, 32, a Fort Macleod town councillor, Alex Van Herk, 53, and Gerhard "George" Janzen, 43, are all charged with mischief over $5,000. Police say the offences are related to the roles the men played in the blockade at the Coutts border crossing in January and February. A few dozen people were at the Lethbridge courthouse