GoFundMe has removed Candace Owens' campaign for a bar owner after he called George Floyd a "thug."
According to News Week's latest report, the campaign of conservative activist Candace Owen was removed by GoFundMe on Sunday, June 7, after the bar owner, for whom the campaign was created for, called George Floyd a thug and Black Lives Matter protesters "idiots." The campaign raised over $200,000 over the weekend.
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On Saturday, June 6, Candace Owens launched a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe website to raise money for the founder of Parkside Cafe, Michael Dykes, located in Birmingham, Alabama.
Dykes was reported to have sent a text message to his bar co-owner, Robert Bagwell, and also to another employee criticizing Floyd and protesters, according to AL.com.
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The text message sent by the bar owner stated that he forced to implement a "protest tax" at the bar. Dykes also forced some employees who participated in the demonstrations to resign. After quickly picking up traction, GoFundMe took down the campaign and suspended Candace Owens' account for violating the company's terms of service. The campaign was also reported to have raised more than $16,000 in less than an hour after it went live.
GoFundMe Removes Campaign for Bar Owner After He Calls George Floyd a 'Thug'
According to NewsWeek, the emails sent by GoFundMe confirmed that the campaign was removed and the account linked with Candace Owens was suspended because of a repeated pattern of inflammatory statements, spreading falsehoods, intolerance, hate, and discrimination against the black community at a time of profound national crisis. "These actions violate our terms of service," said the company.
"Furthermore, the Parkside Cafe has clearly condemned the comments that initially led to this campaign," GoFundMe added in a statement.
After raising $205,000 in a few hours @gofundme decided to halt my campaign for the Parkside Cafe in Alabama. At their discretion, they deemed that funds raised for a conservative business constitutes “intolerance”
They WILL however give the funds raised thus far to the cafe... pic.twitter.com/Mfw88iDKRi — Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 7, 2020
Candace Owens told her followers on Twitter that the funds raised will still be released to the cafe after she tweeted that the campaign raised $205,000 in a few hours before the company decided to suspend it. She also condemned the crowdfunding website in a series of tweets, calling the decision of the company to remove the page as a "blatant form of discrimination." She also claimed that there was nothing violent or intolerant about raising funds to help a conservative owner.
"Once again, conservatives and Trump supporters need to adapt to a world that tells us that our very existence is unacceptable," said Owens. "That our ideas, thoughts, and now even our charitable efforts are unacceptable. That threatening, boycotting, and canceling us is okay."
