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GoFundMe Shuts Down Fundraiser For ‘Freedom Convoy’, Keeps Fundraisers For Rioters And Felons

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Crowdfunding site GoFundMe has suspended a fundraiser for truckers involved in a “Freedom Convoy” protest, even as multiple fundraisers for the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) in Seattle remain.

The platform announced last week it had suspended the convoy’s official campaign, which had raised over $8 million, due to an assertion that “the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation.”

The CHOP movement, however, uses the term occupation as a variant in its title. However, GoFundMe seems to have no problems with its fundraising efforts.

You may recall that the site was an ‘autonomous zone’ established by anarchists in the city of Seattle where a police precinct was overrun and multiple people were shot – including two fatally – while numerous businesses were looted and vandalized.

“Business crashed as the Seattle police refused to respond to calls to the area. Officers did not retake the region until July 1, after four shootings, including two fatal ones,” the New York Times reported.

GoFundMe not only hosted a fundraiser for “farmers” in the CHOP zone, but they also promoted the effort with a social media post.

“In a community with no police, this farmer is feeding people & bringing them closer together,” a tweet providing a link to the still-active fundraiser reads. “Learn how you can support Marcus’ mission within the CHOP.”

RELATED: Lawless In Seattle: Anarchist ‘Autonomous Zone’ Preventing Police From Responding To Violent Crimes

GoFundMe Freezes Money For Convoy

GoFundMe removed the fundraising page for the “Freedom Convoy” on Friday and initially said they would distribute the funds to various charities.

The donors were later refunded and they eventually agreed.

“GoFundMe supports peaceful protests and we believe that was the intention of the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser when it was first created,” they 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.”

There is not evidence of any violence in the convoy.

This massive protest is against the cross-border US-Canada vaccine mandate that was introduced on January 15th 2022 by the Government of Canada, the convoy.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted a screenshot of GoFundMe’s message about the CHOP farmer captioned: “Double standard?”

Prior to that, he shared a meme asserting GoFundMe was acting like “professional thieves.”

RELATED: Military Action Threatened To Clear Out Canadian ‘Freedom Convoy’

More Questionable Fundraisers

Aside from the ‘farmer’ CHOP fundraiser, GoFundMe still has an active fundraiser, currently netting more than $57,000 for the “Riot Kitchen Food Truck.”

Riot Kitchen also had members in Seattle’s CHOP zone. In 2020 several Riot Kitchen members were detained in Kenosha. They filled gas tanks as race riots flared.

The group had arrived in the city amid violent protests following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

Nine people were arrested after police officers found helmets, gas masks, protective vests, illegal fireworks, and suspected controlled substances inside the group’s vehicles.

GoFundMe still hosts a fundraiser to support Shamar Betts. He was sentenced on August 19, 2021 for inciting an incitement in Champaign (Illinois) in 2020.

Fundraising is almost at its $100,000 mark.

Betts actually posted a flyer to social media that featured an image of a burning vehicle overlaid with a date and time and the words: “RIOT @ MarketPlace Mall, Time: 3.”

It was then that a riot broke out.

After looting an Old Navy, Betts posted a video to Facebook Live in which he was seen “carrying multiple items, including numerous pairs of khaki pants with Old Navy tags attached,” and stating to a bystander, “I started this s***.”

Jesse Kidd, who was involved in the 2020 Riot, was taken into custody and charged with felony-rioting, criminal interference with police, reckless lighting, disorderly conduct and second-degree criminal malchief.

GoFundMe helped Kidd’s bail fund raisers.

Ted Cruz called for an FTC investigation of GoFundMe on Sunday after crowdfunding was stopped in Canada for truck drivers.

“Listen, it is theft on the part of GoFundMe. Let me say – the Canadian truckers are heroes. They are patriots marching for your freedom and for my freedom,” Cruz said.

The fundraiser mentioned above all involve actual ‘occupations’ or criminal activity. The “Freedom Convoy” has seen neither of these, yet they have had their funds frozen.