GoFundMe Banned Texas’ Favorite Canadian Caravan, and Paxton Thought Somebody Had to Pay
The self-proclaimed Freedom Convoy that rolled into Canada’s capital of Ottawa and stayed there for several weeks did not end up changing any of the country’s policies on covid, but it did rile up a large section of the conservative base both in Canada, but more so in the U.S.
The U.S.-based crowdfunding platform GoFundMe took down the convoy’s fundraising page, citing that the convoy had turned from protest into “an occupation” and announced it was refunding all donors’ money. Right-wing media and politicians were outraged, of course. So much so in Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton declared there would be some sort of investigation into whether the company violated the state’s deceptive trade practices.
Paxton claimed, without much proof, that GoFundMe was funneling donors’ money to other “woke” causes. GoFundMe removed the campaign after Ottawa police launched criminal investigations into demonstrators’ behavior.
Why should people in Texas care so much about a supposedly Canadian protest? It makes sense, since the Freedom Caravan was heavily backed by conservative U.S.-based individuals and groups, according to a data leak.
