After GoFundMe shut down fundraising for the Canadian “Freedom Convoy,” donors flocked to Christian crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo to support truckers protesting vaccine mandates in Ottawa.
The founder and CFO of the platform, Jacob Wells, is now calling out GoFundMe and Big Tech for their “authoritarian style of social platforms,” which he says promote bias as fact and causes further division.
The campaign “Freedom Convoy 2022” has raised nearly $5 million through GiveSendGo as of Monday.
The founder and CFO of the platform, Jacob Wells, is now calling out GoFundMe and Big Tech for their “authoritarian style of social platforms,” which he says promote bias as fact and causes further division.
The campaign “Freedom Convoy 2022” has raised nearly $5 million through GiveSendGo as of Monday.
“This is like the tip of the spear and what is coming in a tsunami of technology that is pushing back against this authoritarian style of social platforms where it’s like these people just think that they get to control the narrative,” he said. “It’s mind-blowing to me that they actually think that is the way that it ought to be, because in my perspective, it only breeds more distrust and more vitriol, more divide.”
GiveSendGo, which launched in 2014, permitted donations for Kyle Rittenhouse’s defense. The fundraiser allowed him to post $2 million bail after GoFundMe had blocked donations. GoFundMe lifted its ban on fundraisers for Rittenhouse following the teenager’s acquittal in November.
“Freedom Convoy 2022” is the platform’s largest fundraiser to date, Wells said.
His remarks come as Ottawa police have been turning up on the heat on demonstrators, making several arrests, ticketing about 500 people and threatening charges for anyone caught providing fuel to truckers. After convincing GoFundMe to shut down the convoy’s campaign last week, Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly warned those financially supporting protesters that police will “continue to go after the money.”
So far, Ottawa police have opened 60 criminal investigations related to the demonstrations, primarily for mischief, thefts, hate crimes and property damage.