Despite this being a positive change for those expecting refunds after GoFundMe’s abrupt removal, the furnishing of automatic refunds was likely the expectation of many, without the need for such an update..
The changes instituted by GoFundMe demonstrate how traditional payment rails can be politicized and stopped at will, most often sidelining movements that defy the status quo of their jurisdiction by cutting off access to donation avenues altogether.
For instance, a similar series of events took place in Nigeria in 2020, when the Feminist Coalition, a Nigerian advocacy group formed earlier that year focused on advancing and protecting women’s rights in the country, saw donations meant to help the country’s #EndSARS movement stopped by centralized fundraising platforms. Without a funding source, the movement would sooner or later come to an end; however, the Nigerian group found a sovereign lifeline in bitcoin –– something the Canadian truckers have now found as well.
At the time of writing, the Freedom Convoy has raised over 8.80 BTC through its bitcoin donations page. Although the page was set up a couple of days before GoFundMe shut down its fundraising, the lifeline came in handy to quickly supercharge the convoy’s efforts in vouching for a wide range of individual freedoms that the truckers claim the Canadian government took away from them.
Those interested in supporting the truckers’ protest can gift BTC through the Freedom Convoy’s new donations page , which accepts bitcoin donations on-chain and on the Lightning Network.
