#Canada; #Ottawa; #GoFundMe; #FreedomConvoy; #StopPayment; #Lawsuit
Ottawa/CMEDIA: The crowdfunding platform GoFundMe announced its decision in a blog post on
Feb 4 to stop payments to the organizers of Freedom Convoy 2022 just two days after it froze disbursements of the fund citing the protest violates its rules on violence and harassment.
“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…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,” said GoFundMe in a statement on Feb 4.
Organizers of the “Freedom Convoy” are reportedly facing a potential $9.8-million class-action lawsuit over continuous vehicle horn noise, filed on behalf of residents of the city’s downtown core.
A statement of claim filed by lawyer Paul Champ with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Friday, the lawsuit is seeking $4.8 million for “private nuisance” and another $5 million in “punitive damages.”
The statement of claim focuses on the honking as one of the main “coordinated” tactics convoy participants have used to make their presence known, alleging that the use of horns as organized by the defendants has caused “significant mental distress, suffering, and torment to the plaintiff and the proposed class members.”
According to the statement of claim, the sound volume downtown has been measured and allegedly exceeds noise levels that are permissible under Federal Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.
“Despite these dangers, the Freedom Convoy trucks have been blasting these dangerous horns continuously for 12 to 16 hours per day,” the statement of claim alleges.
GoFundMe said in a statement, that “no further funds will be directly distributed to the Freedom Convoy organizers.” Donors have until Feb. 19 to submit a request for a full refund, with GoFundMe stating that the remaining funds will be sent to credible charities.
