RCMP say truck convoy donors won't have accounts frozen despite viral tweet's claims

“Freedom Convoy” protest donors will not have their accounts frozen under the Emergencies Act, despite allegations by a Conservative MP in a viral tweet.

In a statement on Monday, RCMP said that account-freezing measures under the Act had not been used on individual donors.

“Under the [Emergencies Act], the list that was provided to financial institutions included identities of individuals who were influencers in the illegal protest in Ottawa, and owners and/or drivers of vehicles who did not want to leave the area impacted by the protest,” said the RCMP. “At no time did we provide a list of donors to financial institutions.”

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They added that they’re currently working with banks to address the donor accounts that were frozen.

The statement comes after Conservative MP Mark Strahl claimed that a Chilliwack, BC mom’s bank account was frozen after she donated $50 to the convoy.

“Briane is a single mom from Chilliwack working a minimum wage job. She gave $50 to the convoy when it was 100% legal. She hasn’t participated in any other way,” tweeted Strahl on Sunday. “Her bank account has now been frozen. This is who Justin Trudeau is actually targeting with his Emergencies Act orders.”

The tweet went viral, and his replies were quickly flooded with users questioning the claims and whether Briane is even a real person.

Narrator: Briane is a fictitious person made up by Mark and his team to enrage people. There is no one in Briane on the list of people who donated.

— PoliticalCupid (@PoliticalCupid) February 21, 2022

Just sitting here wondering how Briane from Chilliwack is doing

— 🇵🇸 منى صالح (@DrMunaSaleh) February 21, 2022

Even Canadian news satire publication, The Beaverton, chimed in.

Are you a single mother from Chilliwack, BC whose account was frozen due to the Emergencies Act and not made up by the creative imagination of a Conservative MP? Please tell is about it #cdnpoli

— The Beaverton (@TheBeaverton) February 21, 2022

And in classic internet fashion, someone has already made a parody Twitter account of Briane from Chilliwack.

It turns out that I just forgot that I changed the PIN for my bank card, and I was still trying to use the old one. It’s all good now. Sorry for any inconvenience this might have caused.#Briane #BrianeFromChilliwack https://t.co/XEodEvNwhF

— Briane From Chilliwack (@BrianeSingleMom) February 21, 2022

Stahl addressed those questioning his story in another tweet.

“I am not going to help you dox her,” he said. “I know who she is, and I won’t stop fighting for her.”

To those of you, especially the media, demanding more details on Briane, having seen what has been said about her online today and what has been done to other convoy donors in the last weeks I am not going to help you dox her. I know who she is and I won’t stop fighting for her.

— Mark Strahl, MP (@markstrahl) February 21, 2022

An Ottawa Police Service constable said the information Stahl posted is false, reported The Globe and Mail. They had scanned through the donor list and found two “Briane’s,” neither of whom lived in BC.

Yesterday, the House of Commons passed the Emergencies Act.

Under the law, banks are authorized to freeze accounts connected to the protests and prohibit the use of any property to fund or support illegal blockades.