"Freedom Convoy" organizers launch new fundraising campaign

The self-described organizers of the anti-vaccine mandate protests have launched a new fundraising campaign, despite the promised repercussions of the Emergencies Act.

Pat King, a far-right protester who has gained attention online for racist videos and supporting white supremacist ideology, hosted a press conference on his Facebook page on Monday to update followers on the group’s financial situation.

They announced a new fundraiser called the “Freedom Convoy 2022 Family Expense Support.” The site says the purpose of the fundraiser is to take care of home and family expenses of the truckers “on the frontlines.”

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It adds that the GiveSendGo fundraiser, which has been down since Monday, isn’t meant to cover home expenses like mortgages, truck payments and household utilities.

The campaign pairs a donor with the recipient so that the recipient can receive the funds directly, explained former PPC candidate Dana Metcalfe during the press conference.

“We have veterans that have come forward to help us do collections throughout the community that is going directly into the hands of our truckers,” added Metcalfe.

She said these donations had tied the group over while they were trying to release funds.

The group has had an ongoing battle to obtain funds after GoFundMe removed their campaign and the apparent shutdown of the convoy’s latest fundraising site, GiveSendGo.

The ultimate fate of the new fundraiser is questionable after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act yesterday. Under these special temporary measures, financial institutions have been authorized to freeze accounts connected to the protests and prohibit the use of any property to fund or support illegal blockades.

The ongoing blockades and occupations are presenting serious challenges to law enforcement’s ability to effectively enforce the law. Because of that, the federal government is invoking the Emergencies Act to supplement provincial and territorial capacity.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 15, 2022

On Saturday, TD Bank froze accounts that received money for the anti-vaccine mandate protests. Reuters reported that the Canadian bank froze two personal bank accounts that received a deposit of $1.4 million. These funds were sent through GoFundMe and bank transfers.

As of Tuesday, the new fundraiser has amassed over $57,000 in donations. Their current goal is $282,158.78.