A former ambassador to Canada appointed under President Barack Obama cautioned U.S. groups late Saturday night they must not pursue cross-border “disruptive activities” by funding Canadian Freedom Convoy protesters in Ottawa and beyond.
Bruce Heyman’s warning to freedom groups in the U.S. came as protesters opposed to vaccine mandates and coronavirus restrictions held rallies in cities across Canada in a show of solidarity with a week-long demonstration in Ottawa.
Heyman’s intervention came after crowdfunding site GoFundMe has announced all donors to the fundraiser for the Canadian Freedom Convoy will be “automatically” refunded.
“Under no circumstances should any group in the USA fund disruptive activities in Canada. Period. Full stop,” Heyman warned on social media:
GoFundMe reversed course due to “donor feedback” after it initially announced it would “redirect” donations intended for the Canadian Freedom Convoy to “credible and established charities” chosen by convoy organizers and “verified by GoFundMe,” as Breitbart News reported.
Christian-owned funding platform GiveSendGo is now hosting a new fundraiser for the Canada Freedom Convoy after far-left GoFundMe flip-flopped on its position.
Meanwhile in Canada’s largest city, Toronto, police set up road blocks throughout downtown Saturday, preventing any protesters in trucks or cars from getting near the provincial legislature.
Protesters gather peacefully near the Queen’s Park legislature on Saturday afternoon (Chris Tomlinson/Breitbart News)
The Toronto Sun reports truckers arrived bearing a sea of Canadian flags with convoy supporters atop dump trucks alongside 18-wheelers and a cacophony of blaring horns, all making their support for the fellow protesters in Ottawa known.
Police later moved in to clear a key intersection in the city.
Thousands also descended in Ottawa with participants offering roasted hotdogs and baked goods to other demonstrators.
Meanwhile other cities across Canada also saw vast support for the truckers and their cause of freedom from vaccine mandates.
Demonstrators gathered in Quebec City, Fredericton and Winnipeg, with rallies also planned for Regina, Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria and the U.S. border crossing in Coutts, Alta, as plenty stopped to share their concerns.
Police in Winnipeg, Manitoba laid charges against a 42-year-old Manitoba man who allegedly drove his vehicle into protesters gathered in that city.
They said the incident took place late Friday and resulted in three men being treated at the scene for minor injuries, while a fourth man was taken to a hospital and released. The accused faces multiple charges including assault with a weapon and dangerous operation of a conveyance.
“He wasn’t really for or against either of the general views,” said Winnipeg Police Service spokesperson Const. Rob Carver.
Across the other side of the country in Vancouver, groups were also making their voices heard in peaceful protest.
Protesters show their concern over local news outlets and their Vancouver coverage (Ethan Letkeman/Breitbart News)
Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly on Saturday moved 150 officers to the parts of the capital most affected but he gave no indication when the protest would end, saying police expected it to ramp up across the weekend when protests are also planned again in Toronto and Quebec City.
Protesters have said they won’t leave until all mandates and coronavirus restrictions are gone.