On Day 13 of the Truckers for Freedom Convoy, GoFundMe refused to give the truckers the money people had donated, the fundraising platform Givesendgo stepped up instead and country singer Paul Brandt voiced his support for the truckers in Coutts, Alberta.
GoFundMe announced today that after “releasing” $1 million to the Freedom Convoy earlier in the week, they were withholding the remaining $9 million+ that people around the world had donated to the movement.
In their announcement, GoFundMe claimed there was “evidence that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity.”
The statement did not cite any examples of violence.
The Silicon Valley-based crowdfunding giant went on to confirm that $1 million of the donations had been sent to the organizers but that the remaining funds would be withheld and redirected to charities that were “verified by GoFundMe.”
Donors are being given an opportunity to request a full refund by submitting a request by February 18th.
Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms lawyer Keith Wilson released a statement today in response to the decision from GoFundMe.
“Over the past year, the federal government in Canada under Prime Minister Trudeau has taken away Canadians’ Charter rights, constitutional rights, to travel freely, has taken away truckers’ rights to travel, their mobility rights, their ability to make a living under the Constitution for those who’ve chosen to be unvaccinated,” Wilson said.
“This afternoon, the chief of city police for Ottawa made announcements that are disturbing and should trouble Canadians and those around the world who support this trucker protest for freedom. The police chief essentially announced an assault on the protesters. He announced that very specific measures that we normally only see instituted by oppressive regimes around the world would be initiated.”
Wilson pleaded to those that were watching, “We are being censored…Please get this out to the world.”
In response to GoFundMe’s abdication, Christian-run Givesendgo – a competitor to GoFundMe – immediately hosted a new fund for the truckers.
Supporters can give to the new fund here.
Meanwhile in Alberta, truckers at the blockade in Coutts were letting their horns go earlier in the day in their ongoing protest against vaccine mandates.
To get a full picture of what the blockade looked like Friday night, this aerial footage was posted to Twitter.
Coutts, US – Canada border last night. The protest for the freedom of truckers and farmers continues unabated.#TruckersForFreedom#FarmersForFreedom
— PISCES DRAGON 🇨🇦 🇬🇷 (@DragonPisces) February 4, 2022
pic.twitter.com/J9yL4X9syc
Country singer Paul Brandt released a statement in support of the truckers in Coutts, saying that he was watching the blockade “with great interest.”
Brandt thanked every “freedom-loving patriot” that had associated him and his music with freedom.
Justin Trudeau fled Ottawa last week before the Freedom Convoy and their supporters had even arrived.
True North wanted to speak with truckers and protesters in the nation’s capital today to get their thoughts on why Trudeau was so afraid of them.
Here’s what they had to say.
The Democracy Fund, a constitutional advocacy group, dispatched two lawyers to Ottawa yesterday to ensure that protesters on the streets understood their rights.
Alan Horner and Adam Blake-Gallipeau caught up with True North today to discuss the important distinction between bylaw offenses and Charter Rights as they pertain to peaceful demonstrations.
Major protests are planned this weekend in provincial capitals and other cities across the country.
Speaking to the press today after a virtual premiers’ meeting, Ontario Premier Doug Ford described the protests in Ottawa as an “occupation” whose time had come to an end.
Despite having locked down Ontario repeatedly since the beginning of the pandemic, Ford claimed the protesters in Ottawa were hurting businesses and families.
“It’s not a protest anymore, it has become an occupation. It’s only hurting families, it’s hurting businesses…People want to move on. It’s time for this to come to an end,” Ford said.
The Givesendgo at the time this article was published had reached over $171k. In fact, support for the fundraiser was so high that the website was constantly being overloaded.
