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'Double-standard': Elon Musk slams GoFundMe for NOT releasing $8M raised for Freedom Truckers

The fundraiser had supported a campaign for the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest in Seattle

GoFundMe has been slammed online for canceling the Freedom Convoy fundraiser on Friday, February 4, claiming it breached its terms of service “which prohibits the promotion of violence and harassment.” The fundraiser was in support of a campaign for the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest in Seattle.

GoFundMe has reportedly said that the raised amount of $10 million Canadian dollars ($8 million USD) for truckers demonstrating against Covid-19 vaccine mandates will be given to “credible and established charities”. But Tesla CEO Elon Musk has criticized the decision by writing on Twitter, “Double-standard?” He also shared a screenshot of a tweet the crowdfunding platform shared in 2020 while active riots in Seattle were going on. The 50-year-old entrepreneur called GoFundMe “Professional Thieves”.

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Justifying itself, the California-based platform said in a statement, “GoFundMe supports peaceful protests and we believe that was the intention of the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser when it was first created. 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.”

As per reports, GoFundMe took the decision after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a few of his Liberal Party allies called Freedom Truckers 'extremists' and 'racist' — descriptions that the convoy organizer Tamara Lich has opposed. She said, “We are here out of love for our families, our communities and our nation. These past two years, the covid mandates have divided us. This protest began because of the federal government's restrictions on truckers' freedoms. Our movement has grown in Canada and across the world because common people are tired of the mandates and restrictions in their own lives that now seem to be doing more harm than good. We are therefore calling on all levels of government in Canada to end all covid mandates and restrictions. We will continue our protest until we see a clear plan for their elimination.”

Currently, it’s not clear if the fundraising site took the decision to ban the organization on its platform under the government's influence. It just said, “No further funds will be directly distributed to the Freedom Convoy organizers. We will work with organizers to send all remaining funds to credible and established charities chosen by the Freedom Convoy 2022 organizers and verified by GoFundMe.”

Meanwhile, after GoFundMe refused to give money to the protestors, Lich said on Friday that they have joined hands with GiveSendGo, another crowdfunding online platform, to raise funds for the truckers. In a video published by Rumble, she added: “GiveSendGo is going to enable us to get donations into the hands of truckers much, much quicker. If you can donate and help us keep these truckers going - we plan to be here for the long haul, as long as it takes to ensure that your rights and freedoms are restored.”

Apart from Musk, ordinary people have also criticized GoFundMe for its decision. A user tweeted, “This is a scandal. Political interference. Nothing more.” The second user wrote, “If these truckers were a BLM group, law enforcement officers would have NO TROUBLE AT ALL clearing them out. We cannot afford to allow lawlessness, no matter what the cause. The US isn't fairing so well with that approach.” “I had to show my vaxx pass 4 times today in order to buy paper, wine, food& clothes. When did this become ok? GOFUNDME such a disappointment. You are killing our last hope,” a person added.