After Baltimore’s police union tried to raise online cash for the six officers charged in the high-profile death of Freddie Gray, GoFundMe scuttled the page within an hour.
The fundraising site said the Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police’s page violated its policy, CBS News reported Friday.
“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,” said GoFundMe.com spokesperson Kelsea Little.
The page, which was visible for a mere 40 minutes, quickly filled with negative posts about the officers.
“[T]his is the same site that let the Darren Wilson fundraiser rock,” one commenter said, according to CBS News. “Keep that in mind.”
“[T]hey haven’t been fired,” another added. “Their union will provide them with any legal representation. They make $60-70k a year, they don’t need my $.”
The union’s lawyer, Michael Davey, called the murder, manslaughter and other charges against the officers an “egregious rush to judgment.”
“We believe that these officers will be vindicated as they have done nothing wrong,” he said.
Apparently our GoFundMe account has been suspended with no explanation. We are working to find a new site for donations. Thank you!
— Baltimore City FOP (@FOP3) May 1, 2015
With Baltimore still a tinderbox, the police union’s tweet drew many negative responses, some laced with profanity. A sampling of the more gracious replies:
@FOP3 They know better now than helping fund efforts to pay racist cops for killing Black people. @ShaunKing — Amy (@AmyStephen) May 1, 2015
@FOP3 If your officers did no wrong, then what is the need to establish a fund for them? WTH are union dues for? Get it from there…
— ☆Van Hillie☆ (@SuperVan66) May 1, 2015
At least one cooler head cautioned against mob justice.
@TheTGM @fearwig @FOP3 I don’t take my due process from graffiti artists and vandals, thanks. I’ll wait for the evidence. — Jason Van Steenwyk (@jwvansteenwyk) May 1, 2015
@TheTGM @FOP3 Verdict first, trial afterwards? I guarantee you, black Americans won’t like where that kind of thinking leads.
— Jason Van Steenwyk (@jwvansteenwyk) May 1, 2015
@fearwig @TheTGM @FOP3 Mob is as mob does. — Jason Van Steenwyk (@jwvansteenwyk) May 1, 2015
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CNN reporter snaps in Baltimore; producer calms him down after confrontation with officer
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