Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request have revealed that the Biden administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) took active measures to suppress online support for the Canadian Freedom Convoy. The records show that the DHS’s Disinformation Governance Board monitored the convoy protests closely and coordinated with social media platforms to curb what they described as “misinformation” related to the event.
The Freedom Convoy, which disrupted major border crossings between the U.S. and Canada, including the Ambassador Bridge, was initially a response to cross-border vaccine mandates but grew into a larger protest against COVID-19 restrictions. The protest garnered widespread support, with millions in donations pouring in, prompting the Canadian government, under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to invoke the Emergencies Act. This drastic measure led to the freezing of bank accounts linked to convoy participants.
The protests also influenced several Canadian provinces to relax COVID-19 restrictions, including the rollback of vaccine passports. However, key figures involved in the movement faced significant legal challenges, with some being charged in connection with protests at the Alberta border town of Coutts. While prosecutors accused these individuals of plotting to murder law enforcement officers, they were ultimately acquitted of these charges.
These FOIA revelations raise serious questions about the extent of the U.S. government’s involvement in suppressing dissenting voices, even in foreign movements like the Canadian Freedom Convoy.
