Charges dropped against 1 of the organizers of 'anti-lockdown' rodeo in southern Alberta

Charges have been dropped against one of the organizers of an anti-lockdown rodeo that took place near Bowden, Alta., in 2021.

On Thursday, prosecutor Peter Mackenzie appeared in a Red Deer courtroom on what was supposed to be the start of a two-day trial for Ty and Gail Northcott.

Mackenzie told provincial court Judge Michael Scrase that Alberta Health Services had sent him late disclosure, which was passed along to the Northcotts' lawyer this week.

Before formalizing the adjournment, Mackenzie also told the judge he was withdrawing the charges against Gail. 

Ty Northcott will be back in court in December.

The Northcotts were charged with breaching the Alberta Health Act after organizing what Ty billed on his Facebook page as the "No more lockdowns rodeo rally" on May 1-2, 2021.

The "anti-lockdown" event was held on private land along Highway 2A about 30 kilometres south of Red Deer.

Hundreds of spectators attended the event, which was in protest of pandemic-related provincial restrictions.

When the charges were laid, AHS said its officials had worked with the Bowden Agriculture Society, Red Deer County and the Olds RCMP to confirm the rodeo event was in violation of orders issued by Alberta's chief medical officer of health.