A Canadian federal court has just ruled that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s reckless decision to invoke the country’s Emergencies Act during the 2022 trucker protests was illegal and unjustified, the National Post reports.

Canada’s Emergencies Act is intended for serious threats such as espionage, terrorism, or the potential overthrow of the government, said Justice Mosley who oversaw the case.

The judge added that though the protest, which included blockages at Canada’s international border with the US, caused economic hardship, it did not rise anywhere near the level of a national emergency required by Canadian law.

The judge added that the invoking of the Emergencies Act violated the rights of Canadians guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Trudeau used the dictatorial powers given him under the act to seize the bank accounts of those allegedly involved in the protests and to force truck towing companies to remove trucks that were participating in the protests.

The Canadian Constitutional Foundation, along with several civil liberties groups, took the Trudeau government to court over the invoking of the Emergencies Act.

The Trudeau government, which has seen a dramatic drop in popularity among Canadians over the past year, vowed to appeal the decision.