Canada blacklists ‘Freedom Convoy’ crypto wallets
The authorities in Canada have told cryptocurrency exchanges to cease transactions with addresses they said were linked to the ongoing ‘Freedom Convoy’ by the anti-vaccine mandate truckers.
The order from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) began circulating on social media early on Wednesday, with the local media saying that its authenticity has been confirmed. Several major Canadian crypto exchanges also acknowledged receiving the relevant guidance and the list from law enforcement.
A total of 34 electronic wallets have been blacklisted, including 29 Bitcoin addresses, and several addresses in other crypto currencies like Ethereum, Litecoin, and others.
The order reportedly stated that “any information about a transaction or proposed transaction in respect of these address(es), is to be disclosed immediately to the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.”
The backers of the convoy have already donated 21 BTC worth around $1 million dollars to the cause.
The protestors turned to cryptocurrencies after mainstream crowdfunding platform GoFundMe blocked them earlier in February, and the Canadian government froze $8 million gathered online to continue rallying.
The demonstrations started in Canada in late January in protest against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s demand for unvaccinated truckers to quarantine after coming back to Canada from the US.
They escalated quickly, leading to roads and border crossings being blocked across Canada, including in the capital, Ottawa. The demands of the demonstrators also broadened as they began calling for the lifting of all other Covid-19 curbs and Trudeau’s resignation.
On Monday, the protests were deemed illegal under Canada’s Emergencies Act, which had been invoked by the PM for the first time since the law was passed in 1988. It gave Canadian law enforcement the authority to clamp down on the convoy.
