The Ontario Provincial government in Canada has received approval from the Superior Court of Justice to halt millions of dollars in donations on the GiveSendGo platform from reaching the Freedom Convoy protesters.
This is the second instance where the truckers have been unable to access funds, as GoFundMe froze $10 million in donations last week and then refunded donors due to public backlash.
The recent effort to block funding to the protest relates to contributions made to the “Freedom Convoy 2022” and “Adopt-a-Trucker” pages on the GiveSendGo fundraising platform. As of Thursday, “Freedom Convoy 2022” had accumulated $8.4 million, and “Adopt-a-Trucker” had received $686,000.
Post Millennial writer Ian Miles Cheong shared on Twitter today:
“Bitcoin fixes this… They’d have to make cryptocurrency illegal in Canada.”
One of the fundraiser organizers, Benjamin Dichter, echoed Cheong’s sentiment. He tweeted today that, “This is good for Bitcoin.”
Earlier, a group of supporters established the HonkHonk Hodl organization specifically to assist the convoy in raising funds in Bitcoin. Currently, the group has raised 21 BTC ($902,000).
The Bitcoin payment processor OpenNode mentioned last year that BTC payment solution serves as an alternative for individuals facing censorship with traditional payment methods.
“One of the benefits of Bitcoin is its censorship resistance. Without any central authority dictating its usage, Bitcoin has become a preferred currency for many individuals and organizations facing exclusion from traditional payment methods.”
OpenNode highlighted that accepting BTC donations helps in spreading awareness about Bitcoin among donors and recipients, encouraging its adoption.
Related: Protesters transition to crypto fundraising platform after GoFundMe ban
Nevertheless, there is a dispute regarding the Ontario government’s ability to freeze these funds. GiveSendGo tweeted today that the Canadian government does not have jurisdiction over fund management on its U.S.-based platform. The company assured protesters that: “All funds for EVERY campaign on GiveSendGo flow directly to the recipients of those campaigns.”
Know this! Canada has absolutely ZERO jurisdiction over how we manage our funds here at GiveSendGo. All funds for EVERY campaign on GiveSendGo flow directly to the recipients of those campaigns, not least of which is The Freedom Convoy campaign.
— GiveSendGo (@GiveSendGo) February 11, 2022
However, Toronto Sun political columnist Brian Lilly noted that despite GiveSendGo being based in Boston, the Canadian court order prohibits any Canadians from accessing the funds. He mentioned, “Withdrawing it in the US and sending it here would be a violation.”
