The Daily Signal, a news site founded by the conservative 501(c)(3) Heritage Foundation, asserts that the site closed these campaigns down in violation of the previous set of conditions, prompting the change. Both had fundraising campaigns started to support them both had those efforts stopped by GoFundMe. GoFundMe can now pull down a page connected to defense against civil suits-such as those concerning the violation of state anti-discrimination laws, or the kind filed last month by the parents of Ferguson’s Michael Brown.Ĭonsider the case of the Christian bakers and faith-based florists who refused service to same-sex weddings. What this means is that it’s no longer necessary for criminal charges to be filed for this term of service to be breached. What’s interesting here is that the terms as linked above reflect a recent change on the part of GoFundMe-the words “or claims” were added on April 29th, as detailed on the site’s blog. Specifically, ‘ campaigns in defense of formal charges or claims of heinous crimes, violent, hateful, sexual or discriminatory acts’ are not permitted on GoFundMe.” The campaign clearly stated that the money raised would be used to assist the officers with their legal fees, which is a direct violation of GoFundMe’s terms. GoFundMe cannot be used to benefit those who are charged with serious violations of the law.
“GoFundMe removed the fundraising campaign created for the Baltimore police officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray. As reported in the Baltimore Sun, spokeswoman for GoFundMe Kelsea Little said: As had happened last month with the campaign to raise funds to support South Carolina police officer Michael Slager in his defense in the shooting death of Walter Scott, crowdfunding site GoFundMe has removed the fundraising page for the Maryland officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray.