Online fund raising platform GoFundMe has paused donations for Canadian truckers Freedom Convoy page which has already raised over $10 million (£5.8m) to support its protest against Covid-19 vaccine mandates.
On Wednesday, the GoFundMe page paused donations on the page and attached an “Under Review” disclaimer.
The disclaimer said: “This fundraiser is currently paused and under review to ensure it complies with our terms of service and applicable laws and regulations.”
“Our team is working 24/7 and doing all we can to protect both organisers and donors. Thank you for your patience.”
The page for donations to the truckers is run by Tamara Lich and BJ Dichter and claims to raise money to pay for fuel, food and lodgings of the participating trucks.
Since last Saturday truckers have been blocking the US-Canada highway after the Trudeau government on 15 January mandated vaccines for Canadian truckers entering the country.
The blockade which is still underway has affected trade of supplies, and several truckers have complained of being stranded in the cold as a result of the protest.
GoFundMe has requested more information from the fundraiser’s organiser regarding the use of the funds to “ensure the fundraiser is still compliant with our Terms of Service,” it said in a Medium post, reported Global News.
“When we do not receive required information, we may put a pause on donations as we did in this case,” the company said.
According to the company’s terms of service, funds cannot be used or raised with the implicit or explicit purpose of violating any law or if there is involvement of “User Content” that is in support of hate, violence, harassment, bullying or “intolerance of any kind relating to race, ethnicity, national origin”.
It also says that funds cannot be used for the legal defence of any of those infringements.
Authorities have called the truckers blockade “unlawful” in recent days, with prime minister Justin Trudeau refusing to meet the protesters.
In a statement in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Mr Trudeau said: “We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that people are protected and to ensure that this protest, which is now becoming illegal, does come to an end.”
“We are here to provide resources if law enforcement agencies request them but they are the ones who are doing the work on the ground and we want to see a peaceful resolution for this conflict,” he added.
The amount raised on the GoFundMe page is higher than the money raised by major federal political players of Canada during the final quarter last year, according to public records with Elections Canada.
