By Amy Judd Global News
Updated February 5, 2022
GoFundMe has announced the fundraiser for Canada’s trucker convoy has now been removed from the platform.
This news comes after the company previously stated it was suspended and under review after more than $10 million was raised.
In a statement posted to the website, GoFundMe said it “supports peaceful protests and we believe that was the intention of the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser when it was first created.
“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.”
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson thanked GoFundMe on Friday for “listening to the plea” made by the City and Ottawa Police to no longer provide funds to the convoy organizers.
“In light of the unlawful behaviour that has transpired in the last few days, they have come to the right decision in support of our city and our residents,” he said in a tweet.
Nevertheless, a new “official donation site” was set up on Friday on GiveSendGo, according to lawyer Keith Wilson, who represents the protest.
The GoFundMe fundraiser, which listed Tamara Lich as an organizer and B.J. Dichter as a “team member,” was created to support the truckers that have travelled across Canada to Ottawa to participate in a protest against COVID-19 restrictions.
“Following a review of relevant facts and multiple discussions with local law enforcement and city officials, this fundraiser is now in violation of our Terms of Service (Term 8, which prohibits the promotion of violence and harassment) and has been removed from the platform,” the company said.
Originally, $1 million was released to the organizers, which GoFundMe said was due to a clear distribution plan being provided and funds would be used only for participants who travelled to Ottawa to participate in a peaceful protest.
“Given how this situation has evolved, no further funds will be directly distributed to the Freedom Convoy organizers — we will work with organizers to send all remaining funds to credible and established charities verified by GoFundMe,” the company said.
All donors may submit a request for a full refund until Feb. 19, 2022 using this dedicated refund form.
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GoFundMe pulls 'Freedom Convoy' fundraiser, will release no more money to protest organizers
Convoy fundraiser pulled
GoFundMe has removed the Freedom Convoy fundraiser from its platform and announced it will release no additional money to protest organizers.
In a statement Friday, GoFundMe says they support peaceful protest and believe that was the intention of the fundraiser when it was created.
The campaign had raised more than $10 million prior to being frozen earlier this week.
“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,” GoFundMe’s statement said.
The company says it now considers the fundraiser in violation of its terms of service prohibiting “the promotion of violence and harassment.”
GoFundMe released $1 million to the Freedom Convoy organizers earlier this week and confirmed the funds would only be for participants who traveled to Ottawa for peaceful protest.
“Given how this situation has evolved, no further funds will be directly distributed to the Freedom Convoy organizers — we will work with organizers to send all remaining funds to credible and established charities verified by GoFundMe,” the company said.
Donors are able to request a refund until Feb. 19 here. The fundraiser was the second-biggest in Canada before it was taken offline.
A proposed class-action lawsuit was filed Friday against protest organizers Chris Barber, Benjamin Ditcher, Tamara Lich and Patrick King seeking $9.8M in damages over relentless horn noise, filed on behalf of downtown residents.
On Thursday, a parliamentary committee unanimously voted to invite GoFundMe to explain its role in the protests.
Ottawa police, who have repeatedly called the occupation of the city's downtown "unlawful," said Friday they are deploying a "surge" of about 150 extra police officers to central areas of the city to deal with the protest.
"We're absolutely committed to bringing this demonstration to an end," said police chief Peter Sloly.
GoFundMe ends payments to convoy protest, citing reports of violence and harassment
Organizers had raised more than $10M through the online
platform
The crowdfunding platform GoFundMe says it will stop payments to the organizers of Freedom Convoy 2022 because the protest violates its rules on violence and harassment .
The company announced its decision in a blog post Friday evening, just two days after it froze disbursements of the fund.
"GoFundMe supports peaceful protests and we believe that was the intention of the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser when it was first created," the company said in the post.
"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 company said the protest violates a rule in its terms of service that prohibits the promotion of violence and harassment. The fundraising page for the convoy has been deleted from GoFundMe's website.
Participants in the demonstration have displayed symbols of hate including the Confederate flag and swastikas while protesting. Truckers parked in downtown Ottawa have also made residents miserable by blaring their horns at all hours.
Organizers have said they will stay in Ottawa until the federal government lifts all pandemic restrictions. Canada Unity, the group claiming responsibility for organizing the protest, has published a document which calls for the resignation of Canada's senators and the Governor General if its demands are not met.
WATCH | Ottawa police will send more officers to protest areas:
About 150 additional police officers will be on patrol in Ottawa as the city braces for another weekend of protest against COVID-19 mandates. Officers will be addressing 'unlawful threatening conduct' in the most affected neighbourhoods, says the city's police Chief Peter Sloly 1:56
Tamara Lich, one of the organizers of the protest's GoFundMe page, posted a video message on Friday evening directing supporters to a new online fundraiser hosted by GiveSendGo, a Christian fundraising site that was blocked by PayPal last year after it was used to raise funds for people who attended the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
"Please, if you can donate and help us keep these truckers going, we plan to be here for the long haul," she said. "As long as it takes to make sure that your rights and freedoms are restored."
More than 120,000 donors contributed nearly $10.1 million to the fund. A CBC News analysis found that about one-third of donors were anonymous or used aliases, and that many of the donations were made from outside Canada.
The company now says it will "work with organizers to send all remaining funds to credible and established charities verified by GoFundMe." People who donated to the fund can also ask for a refund until February 19.
GoFundMe released $1 million to the organizers earlier this week before it froze the payments. It said organizers were able to prove that money would be used for participants involved in peaceful protest.
Premier says protest has become an 'occupation'
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson thanked GoFundMe for freezing the fund shortly after the decision was announced.
"These protesters have been holding our city hostage for a week now, and I'm hopeful that limiting their access to funding and resources will restrict their ability to remain in Ottawa," Watson wrote.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Friday that he believes the protest has become "an occupation" and urged participants to leave.
"It's time for this to come to an end," he said.
Other elected officials — primarily Conservative MPs — expressed their support for the protest as recently as Wednesday of this week.
Paloma Raggo, a Carleton University professor specializing in nonprofits and philanthropy, said she was surprised that GoFundMe did not block the fund sooner, since it never appeared to be a legitimate charity.
Raggo said the federal government should explore regulating crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe to prevent future misuses of its services.
"This is not the first time that this has happened. Should it be the last? Maybe. And maybe it's time we have laws on the books for that," she said.
WATCH | NDP MP says GoFundMe should testify at Parliament:
B.C. New Democratic Party MP Alistair MacGregor joins Power & Politics to discuss GoFundMe's decision and why he thinks the company should still be made to testify before a parliamentary committee. 2:47
A parliamentary committee has called on GoFundMe executives to testify about the company's operations, including its measures to prevent the funding of extremism and hate.
Organizers facing possible class action lawsuit
Organizers of the protest were dealt another blow on Friday evening in the form of a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of Ottawa residents who live near the protest.
The statement of claim accuses the organizers of the protest of causing significant harm to residents due to their use of loud truck horns for "12 to 16 hours" daily.
The lawsuit notes that people who live near Parliament Hill are accustomed to protests, "but they have never experienced anything like the constant and excruciatingly loud horns of the Defendants' Freedom Convoy."
It is seeking $5 million in "punitive damages" and another $4.8 million in "private nuisance" damages. The lawsuit has been filed to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
"The Freedom Convoy horn protest organized by the defendants has caused significant mental distress, suffering and torment," the document says.
GoFundMe pulls plug on fundraiser for Ottawa convoy protesters
Published Friday, February 4, 2022 9:42AM EST
Last Updated Friday, February 4, 2022 11:14PM EST
OTTAWA - Crowdfunding site GoFundMe will reimburse or redirect to charities the vast majority of the more than $10 million raised by demonstrators protesting COVID-19 measures in Ottawa, saying the event has become an occupation.
The move could deny participants a vital source of money as Ottawa braces for a new wave of protesters slated to arrive in the national capital this weekend.
GoFundMe said late Friday it supports peaceful protest and that it believes this was the initial intention of the Ottawa event.
The crowdfunding site said it now has evidence from law enforcement that the demonstration “has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity.”
GoFundMe said the fundraiser has been removed from its platform because it violates the site's terms of service, which prohibit the promotion of violence and harassment.
An initial $1 million was released to organizers earlier this week but, given how things have evolved, GoFundMe will issue refunds to donors and work with organizers to send remaining funds to “credible and established charities.”
The Ottawa Police Service thanked GoFundMe for its decision.
“We want to thank ↕gofundme for listening to our concerns as a City and a police service,” it said on Twitter. “The decision to withhold funding for these unlawful demonstrations is an important step and we call on all crowdfunding sites to follow.”
Mayor Jim Watson also expressed his gratitude. Watson said in light of the unlawful behaviour that has transpired in the last few days, GoFundMe came to the right decision in support of the city and its residents.
“These protesters have been holding our city hostage for a week now, and I'm hopeful that limiting their access to funding and resources will restrict their ability to remain in Ottawa,” Watson said on Twitter.
“I am imploring similar crowdfunding platforms to take the same position and not enable the group in its fundraising efforts, which would deal a blow to our efforts to put an end to this occupation.”
Tamara Lich, one of the protest organizers, said in a video Friday that they have a new official donation site, the U.S.-based GiveSendGo, which calls itself a “Free Christian Crowdfunding” website.
The GiveSendGo website lists “Freedom Convoy 2022” as one of its trending campaigns.
Ottawa police are putting more officers on the street and trying to seal off the city's downtown core in anticipation of another influx of protesters this weekend.
Downtown residents have endured a week of blaring truck horns, blocked streets and racial taunts from aggressive participants. Many city-dwellers have expressed frustration with the fact little has changed days into the protest, branding it an occupation.
Ottawa lawyer Paul Champ has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of residents seeking millions of dollars in damages and an injunction “prohibiting the continuation of the nuisance.”
Court documents name Lich and other protest organizers as defendants and say the proposed members of the action are all people who reside in Ottawa from Bay Street to Elgin Street and Lisgar Street to Wellington Street.
“The incessant blaring of the high decibel air horns and train horns substantially interferes with the private use and enjoyment of the Class Members' homes,” reads the statement of claim. “The conduct is totally unreasonable and unjustified.”
It says people have suffered injury and damages for emotional and mental distress; difficulty concentrating; interference with quiet enjoyment of home; headaches; and difficulty sleeping. It is seeking $100 per day for each person that has suffered from the protesters' horn tactics.
The statement of claim contains allegations that have not been proven in court.
Residents were bewildered Thursday that demonstrators had constructed a wood building and fuel storage pen in Confederation Park, just southeast of Parliament Hill.
The National Capital Commission, responsible for the park, is working with Ottawa police on “addressing the next steps on site,” said commission spokeswoman Valerie Dufour, who could provide no details.
City solicitor David White said Ottawa had not filed for a court injunction to curb the actions of protesters. He added the city continues to work with other agencies “so that we are prepared and in a position to act quickly” in the event one is deemed necessary to support police plans.
Policy Chief Peter Sloly announced a “surge” of about 150 extra police officers to central areas of the city paralyzed by the protest that has been going on for a week.
Sloly said the patrolling officers will focus on mischief, hate, harassment, threats and other intimidating behaviour to send a clear message: “The lawlessness must end.”
The protest against vaccine mandates and other pandemic measures, which has immobilized the city's downtown with scores of large trucks, is an “increasingly volatile and increasingly dangerous demonstration,” Sloly told a news conference Friday.
“We're absolutely committed to bringing this demonstration to an end.”
However, Sloly warned that demonstrators near Parliament Hill remain highly organized, well-funded and extremely committed to resisting attempts to end the demonstration safely.
Police plan to contain the demonstration in the area immediately south of the Hill through concrete barriers and large machinery to control roadways throughout the downtown core.
They are also looking at closing bridges and highway off-ramps, while incoming protest trucks will be directed to designated parking zones outside the core, Sloly said. Illegal parking by demonstrators could result in bylaw enforcement, removal and impound.
Fencing has been placed around the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Hill. A woman was photographed jumping on the tomb last weekend, sparking a police probe.
Police expect as many as 400 more trucks and up to 2,000 people on foot will arrive this weekend for the protest. In addition, as many as 1,000 people could join counter-demonstrations downtown.
Plans for demonstrations to oppose the protesters were in flux Friday amid concerns such actions might not be safe.
Sloly had blunt words for anyone intent on causing trouble: “Do not bring weapons, do not bring firearms, do not come here to cause harm. Do not come here to break the law. You will be held to account.”
A few dozen downtown residents gathered Friday for a community safety walk, a daily event co-ordinated by concerned city councillors.
“For the last week, we've been held hostage, we haven't felt safe,” said resident Sarah Duff. “And there have been extremists that have been allowed to roam our streets. Enough is enough.”
Sloly acknowledged residents' concerns but said police had done “absolutely the best we can to keep this city safe.”
“We need to do better. We're committed to doing better. We now have more intelligence and allies to do better.”
The Ottawa chief said his empathy for citizens was rooted in personal experience, noting police were investigating death threats that he and other city officials had received this week.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said late Thursday the RCMP had approved Watson's request for Mounties to support city police.
The minister made it clear Friday that Ottawa police remain the force of jurisdiction and called Sloly's new plan reassuring.
“No one is above the law,” Mendicino said. “And I think that the many reports that we're hearing in Ottawa from people who live here, who work here, who are trying to raise their families, who are trying to get around, is that they can't enjoy those freedoms.”
Sloly said local, provincial and national intelligence personnel were working together to analyze information.
“We have increased ability to identify and target protesters, and supporters of protesters, who were funding and enabling unlawful and harmful activity,” he said.
Teams are gathering details including vehicle registration, driver identification, insurance status and other related evidence that will be used in prosecutions.
Every unlawful act, including traffic and insurance violations, “will be fully pursued,” Sloly said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been harshly critical of the protesters, calling on them to leave town and allow residents to resume their daily lives.
Lich, a protest organizer, told a Thursday news conference the departure of the demonstrators would “be based on the prime minister doing what is right: ending all mandates and restrictions on our freedoms.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2022.
- With files from Laura Osman and Mia Rabson
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