Canadian authorities have ordered all regulated financial firms to cease facilitating transactions from 34 crypto wallets tied to funding the trucker-led "Freedom Convoy" protests in Ottawa, and elsewhere across the country.
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Coindesk reports that the list of sanctioned crypto wallets includes 29 Bitcoin addresses, one Ethereum address, one Ethereum Classic address, one Litecoin address, one Monero address, and one Cardano address. A copy of the order circulated on Twitter on Wednesday.
Canadian press outlet the Globe and Mail confirmed that police agencies ordered several crypto exchanges and financial institutions to "cease facilitating any transactions," with all of the wallets as part of an investigation "in relation to illegal acts falling under the scope of the emergency measures act."
"Any information about a transaction or proposed transaction in respect of these address(es), is to be disclosed immediately to the commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police," law enforcement wrote in a letter to the financial institutions.
Coindesk reports that the donors sent more than 20 Bitcoin valued at $1.1 million CAD through alternative platforms following GoFundMe's suspension of the crowdfund supporting the protests.
"All crowd funding platforms and the payment service providers they use now must register with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), and must report large and suspicious transactions to FINTRAC," an RCMP spokesperson said. "As the situation is new and quickly evolving, the RCMP is not in position to offer further information on crowdfunding through cryptocurrency at this time."
Bank accounts are officially being frozen under Justin Trudeau's Emergency Economic Measures Order under the Emergencies Act.Judging from the giggles Freeland is exhibiting at the beginning of the following clip, she's clearly enjoying this authoritarian show of force. Power-mad?
Shaun Zimmer recently travelled from Winnipeg to Ottawa to show his support for the trucker's convoy, and now he no longer has access to his funds.
For whatever reason, the Canadian federal government deemed that he was engaged, either directly or indirectly with the protesters here in Ottawa.
This is the first story we are hearing first-hand about bank accounts being frozen in relation to the truckers' convoy.
Citing terrorist financing laws, the government has forced crowdfunding websites and payment providers to register with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), the government's financial intelligence unit.And probably the most disturbing measure used against the Freedom Convoy:
In a final warning to the assembled protesters, Freeland said those who have their big rigs on Ottawa's streets will see their insurance cancelled and their corporate accounts suspended — a move that could make it difficult for these drivers to ever work again.
"The consequences are real and they will bite," she said.
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Meanwhile mainstream outlet reporters are taking a hacked list of donors the GiveSendGo Freedom Convoy fundraiser and have been harassing people who donated as little as $50.
Oh, and if you're arrested in Canada with your dog they'll consider it 'relinquished' after 8 days.
Last night, Lich posted a message to social media where she appeared to accept that she would soon be arrested.
"There's a pretty good chance — well I think it's inevitable at this point — but, uh, I'll probably be going somewhere tomorrow [Thursday] where I'll be getting three square meals a day. And that's OK,' Lich said.
"I'm OK with that. And I want you to know that I am not afraid," she added.
Another convoy organizer, Chris Barber, was also arrested tonight.
Lich is the Métis organizer of the original GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign for the trucker convoy that travelled to Ottawa to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates for cross-border truckers.
After astonishing support, both financially through crowdfunding and physically through support from those who turned out along overpasses to wave Canadian flags, the movement spiralled into a more broad protest against COVID restrictions and vaccine mandates.
Recently, Lich had been in discussions with Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson. Coming to terms through negotiations brokered by Dean French, the former chief of staff to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, a deal was struck between convoy organizers and the city that resulted in numerous trucks leaving residential areas.
French explained his decision to mediate between the City of Ottawa officials and Freedom Convoy organizers in a column published by the National Post tonight, citing former Newfoundland premier Brian Peckford as his reason for meeting with Mayor Watson.
Peckford is currently suing the Canadian government over its mandatory vaccine requirement for air travellers, and had a lengthy conversation last month with Ezra Levant about the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Peckford is the last living premier to have signed the document.
Comment: Perhaps real reality is a better investment?