The Emergencies Act inquiry uncovered that GoFundMe lost $1 million when it cancelled donations to the Freedom Convoy.
Freedom demonstrators raised $10 million through crowdfunding when they descended on the nation’s capitol to protest COVID-19 restrictions like vaccine mandates.
About a week after their arrival, on Feb. 4, GoFundMe determined the “Freedom Convoy 2022” fundraiser violated its terms of service, “which prohibits the promotion of violence and harassment.”
GoFundMe returned all donations, but $1 million had already been released to the convoy. That money still did not flow to organizers as it was frozen by TD bank.
True North reporter Andrew Lawton uncovered the finding in the Public Order Emergency Commission’s overview report on funding.
In a statement announcing it was cancelling the fundraiser, GoFundMe said it supports peaceful protests and believed that to be the intention of the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser.
“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.”
A day before GoFundMe sought to sever ties with the convoy, the House of Commons Public Safety and National Security Committee called on the online fundraising platform to testify on how it would ensure funds weren’t being used to promote extremism and hate.
After GoFundMe ditched the convoy, the Christian crowdfunding site GiveSendGo helped collect over $12 million for demonstrators.
According to the National Post, the assets were also quickly frozen following a court order at the request of the Ontario government.
The Public Order Emergency Commission’s overview report on funding also confirmed that convoy organizers accessed very little of the millions donated. Organizers received virtually none of the GoFundMe donations nor the GiveSendGo donations.
Another $800,000 in crypto donations was distributed to truckers, and the remainder was seized.
