Freedom Convoy: GoFundMe pauses donations to Canada truckers

Image source, Getty Images

GoFundMe has paused donations to truck drivers protesting against vaccine mandates in Canada.

Donations to the page "Freedom Convoy 2022" had reached C$10m ($7.9m; £5.8m), by Wednesday afternoon with about C$1m released so far to organisers.

A number of officials have suggested legal action against the platform to prevent the release of more funds.

Nearly a week-long, the protest began over a mandate requiring Covid jabs to cross the US-Canada border.

"This fundraiser is currently paused and under review to ensure it complies with our terms of service and applicable laws and regulations," said a notice that appeared on the Freedom Convoy donations page on Wednesday.

"Our team is working 24/7 and doing all we can to protect both organizers and donors. Thank you for your patience."

No mention was made of what would become of the money that has been raised from more than 120,000 donors.

Protest leaders have yet to comment on the move by GoFundMe.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly suggested that many of the donations had come from the United States.

When asked by reporters what measures might be needed to end the protests in Ottawa, which have dwindled in recent days, the police chief refused to rule out military intervention.

"Most demonstrators have left," Chief Sloly said. "What remains is a highly determined and highly volatile group of unlawful individuals."

He conceded the protest would probably grow again this weekend and "there may not be a policing solution" to resolve the impasse.