GoFundMe has suspended a fundraiser for the “Freedom Convoy” of truckers and supporters who have tied up downtown Ottawa while protesting vaccine mandates.
“This fundraiser is currently paused and under review to ensure it complies with our terms of service and applicable laws and regulations,” said a pinned post from GoFundMe at the top of the fundraiser on Wednesday night. Our team is working 24/7 and doing all we can to protect both organizers and donors. Thank you for your patience.”
The fundraiser, which is now under review, has currently raised more than $10 million. It’s the second time GoFundMe has suspended access to the money collected on its platform.
Funds were frozen by GoFundMe for the first time in mid-January when the funds were at $4.5 million. At the time, GoFundMe stated that they needed more detail on how funds would be allocated. Last Thursday, an initial $1 million was released to the organizers by GoFundMe after they received a plan for the money’s distribution to truckers to cover the cost of gas for the Parliament Hill protest.
By Tuesday, as it reached $9.5 million, the fundraiser had been declared the second largest in Canada, smaller only than the fundraiser created for the Humboldt Broncos in 2018.
The Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser states in its description that money will go towards paying for the cost of the truckers’ journey to Ottawa, including fuel, food and shelter, with leftover funds being given to “a credible Veterans organization which will be chosen by the donors.”
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