Freedom Convoy Continues, Trudeau Begs Protestors to Stop, Fundraiser Raises $542K in Bitcoin

During the last week, a large number of truckers are still occupying the streets of Ottawa protesting the vaccine mandates. On Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau begged protestors to stop the demonstration and said “It has to stop.” Meanwhile, after Gofundme shut down the Freedom Convoy’s fundraiser, crypto advocates have raised 12.41 bitcoin worth $542K in order to help the truckers continue the protest.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Insists Trucker’s Protest ‘Has to Stop,’ Florida Governor to Investigate Gofundme’s Actions

The Freedom Convoy 2022 is still ongoing as thousands of people have surrounded the parliament buildings in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. The protest started on January 29, as Canadian truckers objected to the new coronavirus vaccine and testing rules.

On Monday, after falling ill with Covid-19, while being fully vaccinated and boosted, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed parliament for the first time since he caught the coronavirus last week. ​​”Individuals are trying to blockade our economy, our democracy, and our fellow citizens’ daily lives. It has to stop,” Trudeau insisted.

Trudeau’s statements follow the American crowdfunding platform, Gofundme, shutting down the Freedom Convoy’s fundraiser and telling the public it would be returning donations. The fundraiser raised $9 million for the truckers before Gofundme shut it down and the decision was met with criticism. After Gofundme reversed the Freedom Convoy’s fundraiser, Florida governor Ron DeSantis promised to investigate Gofundme’s decision. “I will work with [Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody] to investigate these deceptive practices,” DeSantis said.

Hundreds of Thousands in Censorship-Resistant Crypto Raised Since Gofundme Reversed Truckers’ Fundraiser

Three days ago, Bitcoin.com News reported on cryptocurrency advocates reacting to Gofundme’s decision and two crypto-infused fundraisers. A Bitcoin cash (BCH) supporter started a Flipstarter fundraiser in order to raise 100 BCH for the truckers and so far, the Flipstarter has raised 24.10 BCH or close to $8K using today’s exchange rates. Another fundraiser our newsdesk reported on was crafted by a Twitter account dubbed: “Honkhonk Hodl.”

Honkhonk Hodl’s fundraiser — hosted on the Tally platform — has raised $541K or 12.41 bitcoin (BTC) so far and people can donate onchain or leverage the Lightning Network to send support. 53% of the BTC donors donated to the Freedom Convoy’s fundraiser onchain, while the rest utilized the Lightning Network. According to an interview with one of the fundraiser’s founders and the Toronto Star reporters Alex McKeen and Grant LaFleche, the fund’s keys are being held by five different individuals.

“At some point, we could hand it right off to the truckers, because the people that are donating their bitcoin, that’s what they want to happen,” one of the Freedom Convoy’s fundraiser creators told the Toronto Star reporters. “We’ve only had one meeting. And, you know, it could be anything, and it could also go into when we could keep it as an endowment.”

Fox News Anchor Tucker Carlson: ‘The Only Way Around the Stranglehold That Technology Has on Our Human Rights Is Decentralization’

Furthermore, the bitcoin fundraiser was also noticed by Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson. On the broadcast “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” Carlson spoke about Gofundme’s decision to stop the fundraiser and how cryptocurrency supporters have stepped in.

Carlson spoke about Honkhonk Hodl’s fundraiser hosted on the Tally platform and said: “Now, why is this appealing? No one can steal the money. No government can pressure anyone to turn the money over, because governments don’t control crypto.” Carlson further added:

[Bitcoin] goes from person A to person B and all the intermediary does, the company, is connect the two — It’s pretty appealing — And you can imagine the long-term consequences here. If the people in charge, in this country and in Canada, want to make the U.S. dollar irrelevant, they’ll keep acting like this and soon it will be. Either way, it’s becoming very clear that the only way around the stranglehold that technology has on our human rights is decentralization.

The world is watching what happens when a specific portion of society does not comply with the mandates stemming from the collective. So far, the trucker’s Freedom Convoy 2022 in Canada is continuing for its tenth consecutive day and freedom activists worldwide are cheering them on.

The occupation in downtown Ottawa, Ontario has also moved toward the Ambassador Bridge which is the busiest border crossing in North America. Ambassador Bridge has shut down and traffic on I-75 and the service drive into Detroit, Michigan has been piling up since Monday evening.