Man accused of organizing Ambassador Bridge blockade says he wasn't a leader

As one of the two people accused of organizing the Ambassador Bridge blockade, William Laframboise said he will be representing himself in court to prove his innocence.

Both Laframboise, 41, and Nycole Dicredico, 42, made their first court appearances today. They were charged with mischief in July and labelled by Windsor police as two people who led the blockade. Access to the Ambassador Bridge — a key border crossing to the U.S. — was blocked the evening of Feb. 7 by truck drivers and others protesting against mask mandates. Police officers from across Canada cleared it on Feb. 13.

Laframboise tells CBC News he was at the protests in Ottawa when the blockade in Windsor began. He said he was a part of the Ambassador Bridge protest, but said outside of court that he did not organize it.

When Windsor police identified the two as leaders through an investigation, they did not specify what information led them to that conclusion. However, investigators did say Laframboise and Dicredico were drivers of two vehicles that blocked traffic on Huron Church Road and Tecumseh Road East.

Laframboise said he didn't know Dicredico and only spoke with her during one day of the blockade. He said he mostly chatted with her inside her truck to take advantage of Dicredico's heated seats on a cold winter day.

Dicredico declined to comment, saying she's hired a lawyer.

Damaged property, death threats

Laframboise said since he has been charged, people have damaged his property and made death threats against him and his family.

"I'm going to self represent and I want a court date as soon as possible," Laframboise said in court.

However, his next court appearance is scheduled for October because he requires a self-represented judicial pre-trial.