The man who drove his truck through the gates of Rideau Hall—where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lives with his family—and had an armed standoff with police was sentenced to six years today.
Corey Hurren, a 46-year-old Canadian Armed Forces reservist, posted conspiracy content on social media shortly before ramming the gates. He pleaded guilty to seven firearms charges in February and mischief. When he was arrested, he was armed with three long guns, including a semi-automatic rifle, and had said that he was prepared to die during the standoff with police. Hurren said he was hoping to “speak” to Trudeau when he stormed the property. The prime minister nor his family were at Rideau Hall during the time of his attack.
On social media, Hurren shared several posts that indicated his beliefs in conspiracies surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and one post that showed he harboured an interest in QAnon. Hurren seemed particularly interested in a conspiracy about Event 201, which attempts to prove the pandemic is the work of a group of elites for nefarious purposes. These conspiracies, paired with gun control legislation brought about by the Liberals, pushed Hurren to take action.
He wrote a note that he left in his car during his attack that directly referenced Event 201. “With the firearms ban and seeing more of our rights being taken away, on top of bankrupting the country, I could no longer sit back and watch this happen,” reads a portion the note. “I hope this is a wake-up call and a turning point.”