Elon Musk slams GoFundMe for cancelling Canada's truckers while allowing BLM donations

Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Saturday called out at the ‘double standards’ of the GoFundMe after it cancelled the Freedom Convoy fundraiser. Musk reminded that the platform had widely supported the campaign for the Black Lives Matter protests at the Capitol Hill in Seattle, as he accused GoFundMe of hypocrisy. SpaceX CEO launched an attack on the crowdfunding platform after $10 million Canadian dollars ($8 million USD or Rs 58 crore) was raised in support of truckers protesting against Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

And shortly afterward, the platform blocked the fundraiser saying that it violated its terms of service “which prohibits the promotion of violence and harassment.” 

GoFundme also seized the amount, stating that it will donate the $10 million CAD to “credible and established charities,” according to several reports. “Double-standard?” Musk questioned on Twitter as he shared the screenshot of a tweet by GoFundMe published in 2020 during the riots in Seattle.

The donations were raised on the platform despite that the George Floyd protesters in June declared an autonomous zone in the city's Capitol Hill and reports emerged of violence, and public property damage, as the Black lives matter protesters clashed with the police. At the time, the GoFundMe had allowed numerous BLM-related fundraisers and no terms and conditions breach was cited. 

'Peaceful demonstration became an occupation': GoFundMe

However, in a statement released Friday, the crowdfunding platform said: “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.” Reports suggest that it is being suspected that Trudeau or his government may have lobbied the crowdsourcing company. 

Earlier at a conference, speaking fondly of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau slammed the “Freedom Convoy” trucking protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandate as spewing “hateful rhetoric”. Trudeau stated that he has attended protests and rallies in the past and has even agreed with the goals and demands of people expressing their concerns. However, he slammed truckers’ protests that he said were all about “hateful rhetoric, violence, and disrespect”. Canadians know where I stand, he said. “This is a moment for responsible leaders to think carefully about where they stand and who they stand with," the Canadian PM continued.