The controversial “Freedom Convoy” of Canadian truckers is close to raising $10m (£5.8m) to support their demonstration and seeking to end “political overreach”, according to the GoFundMe page set up by the organisers on Tuesday.
This amount is higher than the money raised by major federal political players of Canada during the final quarter last year, public records with Elections Canada showed.
Prime minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party of Canada raised $3.7m during the last quarter of 2021, with the opposition Conservative Party in second with $3m during the same period.
Started on 14 January by Tamara Lich, secretary of the separatist Maverick Party, the anti-vax group claims that the Trudeau administration is “implementing rules and mandates that are destroying the foundation of our businesses, industries and livelihoods”.
The money raised by the demonstrators will apparently be used to pay for fuel, food and lodgings of the participating trucks.
“We are taking our fight to the doorsteps of our federal government and demanding that they cease all mandates against its people,” the GoFundMe page reads.
The protesters have been campaigning against Covid-19 vaccine mandates and have blocked the US-Canada border, preventing the trade of supplies since Saturday.
It comes in the wake of a mandate pushed by the Canadian administration requiring Canadian truckers to be fully vaccinated from 15 January in a bid to control the spread of Covid.
If vaccinated fully, the truck drivers can avoid a 14-day quarantine after crossing the border from the US.
The protesters have argued that small businesses are “being destroyed, homes are being destroyed, and people are being mistreated and denied fundamental necessities to survive”.
Mr Trudeau had to be moved to a discreet location as protesters choked the capital’s streets,
