GoFundMe said it took down the page after talking with law enforcement and claimed that the protesting truckers had violated the website's terms of service. Though the website said it helps peaceful protests, the site stated the group had violated Term 8, which "prohibits the promotion of violence and harassment."
"Given how this situation has evolved, no further funds will be directly distributed to the Freedom Convoy organizers," GoFundMe said in a statement. "We will work with organizers to send all remaining funds to credible and established charities chosen by the Freedom Convoy 2022 organizers and verified by GoFundMe."
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The site stated that organizers had provided an allocation plan for $1 million "released earlier this week" and confirmed it would be used for participants "who traveled to Ottawa to participate in a peaceful protest." Donors who wish to receive a refund may submit a request before Feb. 19. GoFundMe's decision was criticized on social media. Among them was Canadian psychology professor and author Jordan Peterson.
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The fundraiser was frozen Jan. 25 when it had raised $4.7 million for the convoy. The site said it had frozen the page until the company affirmed how the funds would be distributed.
The truckers' rally in Ottawa, Canada's capital, started as a protest against the federal government's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers but has since grown to include demonstrations against a number of COVID-19 health restrictions. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that the truckers are overlooking the results of the country's September 2021 federal election.
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Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson thanked GoFundMe.
"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," he said on Twitter.
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GoFundMe switched course in November as it allowed fundraising for Kyle Rittenhouse's legal fees after the platform removed his campaigns for disregarding its policy against aiding people accused of violent crimes. The turnaround followed a jury finding Rittenhouse not guilty of all charges related to the fatal shooting of two men during a riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 2020 in a landmark case that captivated, and divided, much of the nation.
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Police in Ottawa said the military might be needed to help disband anti-vaccination protests that have prompted a snarl in Canada's capital for days.
Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly said at a briefing Wednesday that the demonstration was no longer a "policing" matter because people from all over the country came to the nation's capital, elevating the protest to a "national issue."