Canadian truckers protesting vaccines turned to a Christian fundraising site after GoFundMe blocked donations. They've already raised $4 million.
Rebecca Cohen,Kieran Press-Reynolds
Mon, February 7, 2022,
Canadian truckers protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates moved to a Christian fundraising platform after GoFundMe suspended their campaign.
The Freedom Convoy has raised $4 million on GiveSendGo where they are "demanding" the federal government "cease all mandates."
The group has been protesting for 10 days, prompting the mayor of Ottawa to declare a state of emergency.
Canadian truckers in Ottawa who are protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates turned to a Christian fundraising platform after GoFundMe blocked donations to their campaign.
The group, known as Freedom Convoy, has since raised more than $4 million on the Christian fundraising site GiveSendGo.
"To our Fellow Canadians, the time for political over reach is over," the group said on GiveSendGo. "Our current government is implementing rules and mandates that are destroying the foundation of our businesses, industries and livelihoods."
"We are taking our fight to the doorsteps of our Federal Government and demanding that they cease all mandates against its people," the group added.
The fundraiser on GiveSendGo was launched after GoFundMe revoked the Freedom Convoy's fundraiser upon learning of the group's actions.
"GoFundMe supports peaceful protests and we believe that was the intention of the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser when it was first created," GoFundMe said in a statement. "We now have evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity."
The Freedom Convoy's GiveSendGo page crashed a number of times on Monday as the fundraiser continued to spread online. A spokesperson for GiveSendGo told Insider "occasional hiccups" were occurring because of increased traffic to the site.
GiveSendGo's website describes itself as the "#1 Free Christian Crowdfunding Site" and "a place to work together with the body of Christ around the world to make a difference." The platform's official Twitter account tweeted on Sunday night that it was a "miracle" that so much money had been donated in the span of 48 hours.
The Freedom Convoy has been protesting in the country's capital for 10 days, using their trucks to block streets while supporters bring them fuel on sleds. Thousands of people are involved in the protest, Insider previously reported. The demonstration led the mayor of Ottawa to declare a state of emergency on Sunday.
"Declaring a state of emergency reflects the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations," Mayor Jim Watson's office said in a statement.
On Sunday, Ottawa police released a statement that said it launched 60 criminal investigations in connection with the demonstration. At least seven people have been arrested and 100 have been ticketed, the police said.
Those who donated to the group's initial GoFundMe can request a full refund, and any remaining funds donated to the campaign will be donated to "credible and established charities chosen by the Freedom Convoy 2022 organizers and verified by GoFundMe," GoFundMe said.
Multiple far-right personalities with a history of sharing conspiracy theories posted in priase of the convoy on Telegram over the last week.
On Saturday, one Telegram user with 150,000 subscribers wrote a post featuring clips of the convoy that gained over 76,000 views. Another far-right influencer with 140,000 Telegram subscribers in a post on Thursday called the protest the "most amazing trucker convoy in history."
Read the original article on Business Insider
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