On January 29, 2022, shortly after the Freedom Convoy protests began in Ottawa, a separate convoy of about a thousand vehicles travelled from Lethbridge to the border town of Coutts, Alberta, to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates and public health measures. The demonstration led to a two-week blockade at a key Canada-US border crossing. In February 2022, police charged four men after finding firearms, ammunition, and body armour in a trailer where the individuals stayed during the protest. Law enforcement argued that they intended to use the Coutts blockade as a starting point for a broader uprising and were willing to resort to violence against the RCMP. Two of the men, Christopher Lysak and Jerry Morin, pleaded guilty to lesser weapons-related charges. The other two, Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert, went to trial for conspiracy to commit murder.
While both men were acquitted in August 2024 of conspiring to kill RCMP officers, they were convicted on other charges, including mischief and possession of weapons for a dangerous purpose. Olienick was also convicted of possessing a pipe bomb. The trial included evidence of messages expressing distrust of government, raising broader concerns about the influence of anti-government sentiment and conspiracy theories in Canada.