Bank freezes Freedom Convoy supporters’ accounts as crowd fundraising site says it will defy order

A Canadian bank has frozen $1.1 million in donations to Freedom Convoy protesters through a crowdfunding platform as the anti-mandate movement drags into its third week.

Toronto-Dominion Bank made the move after the Ontario Superior Court of Justice issued an order barring the dispersal of convoy donations made through GiveSendGo, which has raised more than $9.2 million for convoy supporters. 

A spokeswoman for bank confirmed the funds were seized in accordance with last Thursday’s court ruling.

‘TD has asked the court to accept the funds, which were raised through crowdfunding and deposited into personal accounts at TD, so they may be managed and distributed in accordance with the intentions of the donors,’ Carla Hindman told the Globe and Mail.

Despite the provincial government making it illegal to donate to GiveSendGo’s trucker campaigns, the crowdfunding platform said it has no plans to back down.

‘Canada has absolutely ZERO jurisdiction over how we manage our funds here at GiveSendGo,’ the company tweeted. ‘All funds for EVERY campaign on GiveSendGo flow directly to the recipients of those campaigns.’

A Toronto-based bank has frozen $1.4 million in money transferred from a fundraising platform to a bank account in accordance with a recent Ontario Superior Court ruling. Freedom Convoy protestors are pictured in Surrey, British Columbia on February 12, 2022

Toronto-Dominion Bank said it froze donations from that were transferred to individual bank accounts

Thousands of truckers descended in Ottawa on January 29 in protest of a new federal mandate that requires long-haulers to be vaccinated against Covid in order to re-enter the country. Unvaccinated Canadian drivers will be required to quarantine upon return to the country.

It’s the latest financial snafu for the convoy after Gofundme earlier this month froze $5 million US dollars in donations, claiming it wanted to determine how the funds would be used. 

It was provided with an explanation by the organizers and two days later, the crowdfunding site unlocked the account allowing donations to continue and released $1million in donated funds. 

But it was frozen again when donations neared $8 million US, after days of political pressure from left-wing politicians who have blasted the truckers as ‘mercenaries.’ 

Donors have since turned to GiveSendGo to support convoy participants.  The platform’s Support-a-Trucker campaign has amassed more than $583,000 US in donations, while the Freedom Convoy 22 campaign reached more than $9.27 million US, more than half its $16 million US goal.

‘Money raised will be dispersed to our Truckers to aid them with the cost of the journey,’ campaign organizers said. ‘Funds will be spent to help cover the cost of fuel for our Truckers primarily, and will be used to assist with food and shelter if needed.’

The convoy said in an update Saturday that it was challenging the provincial court’s decision to freeze donations transferred into individual accounts.

‘Once again the repeated actions by governments to prevent your donations from getting to the Ottawa truckers shows the importance of this fight for freedom,’ organizers said in a statement posted to GiveSendGo.

‘The best way is to continue donating to help the truckers here on the ground and not request a refund.’

GiveSendGo’s Support-a-Trucker campaign has amassed more than $583,000 US in donations, while the Freedom Convoy 22 campaign reached more than $9.27 million US, more than half its $16 million US goal

The crowdfunding platform said it has no plans to back down. ‘Canada has absolutely ZERO jurisdiction over how we manage our funds here at GiveSendGo,’ the company tweeted ‘All funds for EVERY campaign on GiveSendGo flow directly to the recipients of those campaigns’

Supporters of the truckers have vowed to stop doing business with TD after learning it froze donations.

‘Due to the unethical and quite frankly illegal actions of @TD_Canada regarding the money they’re attempting to hold belonging to the fundraising efforts for the trucker protest I will be terminating all business relationships with @TDAmeritrade and urge others to do so as well,’ tweeted @Jokerstars_CEO.

‘Dangerous precedent,’ added @beautifulwood. ‘Whoever disagrees with this and has @TD_Canada accounts, close them in support of freedom.’

Others backed the bank, tweeting:  ‘I will have to investigate whether I can move some money, or some business over to TD. I want to support a bank that supports a strong & united #Canada.’

Twitter users were split on TD’s actions, with some vowing to stop doing business with the bank, and others saying they plan to support it

Freedom Convoy truckers have on Saturday continued a six-day standoff in Windsor, Ontario as they attempted to ‘hold the line’ on the Ambassador Bridge leading to the US border.

Windsor police said in a statement Sunday that they arrested several police for mischief and towed vehicles as they worked to clear the protest. 

Other cities including Ottawa also faced an influx of protestors as around 4,000 had been reported by police on Saturday. 

Officials with the Ottawa police initially communicated to protestors earlier on Saturday to threaten arrests and fines if they did not clear the scene by midnight.

A Canadian judge also previously asked the protestors to move by 7pm but failed to get them out. 

In addition, other demonstrators have also blocked borders to the Canadian province of Manitoba at the Emerson Port of Entry, which is shared with North Dakota as well as Coutts Crossing in Alberta, which brings truckers into and out of Montana. 

The problems have fed into current issues linked to the supply chain crisis as a shortage in auto parts have caused vehicle companies to temporarily shut down.