OPP Launch An Investigation After Officers Reportedly Donated To The Freedom Convoy
"OPP holds its members accountable for their actions while on duty and off."
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) launched an internal investigation after a leaked list showed that some officers reportedly made donations to the Freedom Convoy through the GiveSendGo crowdfunding website.
Bill Dickson, an OPP spokesperson, told Narcity, "The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is aware that members appear to have made donations that have gone toward the unlawful protest in Ottawa."
"The matter has been brought to the attention of OPP Command, and the OPP Professional Standards Unit has launched an internal conduct investigation into this matter," Dickson says.
"We cannot comment or speculate on the outcome of the investigation."
According to the Toronto Star, the list was leaked on February 13 after hackers took over the GiveSendGo website and showed that more than 92,000 donations were made to the "Freedom Convoy 2022" campaign. In addition, more than $10 million have been donated to the campaign through online fundraising sites.
The "OPP holds its members accountable for their actions while on duty and off," said Dickson.
On February 7, a state of emergency was announced in Ottawa because of the disruption caused by the Freedom Convoy protests.
The protests are fighting against the government's COVID-19 rules and measures that have been implemented, including masks and vaccinations requirements and lockdowns.
Originally the Freedom Convoy had a GoFundMe page to gather donations from, but on February 4 the crowdsourcing website announced that it removed the fundraiser from its site and would returned the money back to its donors.
The removal of the page was because of evidence from law enforcement in Ottawa that showed that demonstrations "has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity."
"Any demonstration or expression of views and opinions that may be interpreted as condoning illegal activity is in direct opposition to the OPP's values and mandate," Dickson added.
"Public trust and confidence is the cornerstone of the OPP."