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After raising millions, Minnesota Freedom Fund says it’s spent $200,000 to bail out protesters
This post has been updated to note response from Minnesota Freedom Fund and other new information.
The Minnesota Freedom Fund came under fire Monday when it shared that it had spent about $200,000 to bail out protesters, after raising more than $30 million in the wake of George Floyd’s killing.
“Without jeopardizing the safety of the folks we bailed out we paid well over $200k in the weeks since the uprising alone. We are working on doing more,” the nonprofit wrote in a tweet Monday night. They clarified in a tweet Tuesday that “all protest-related bail so far that has come our way has been paid and we’re going to keep that up.”
Good morning. Let’s talk about “where the money went” and where it’s going. All protest-related bail so far that has come our way has been paid and we’re going to keep that up. At the onset of all this we set aside $10K for protesters, because it’s what we had – not enough (1/??)
— Minnesota Freedom Fund (@MNFreedomFund) June 16, 2020
The Monday night tweet sparked criticisms from many wondering why the organization, which was launched in 2016 with the mission of paying criminal and immigrant bonds for people who can’t afford them, hadn’t put donations to use more quickly.
Appreciate all those calling for transparency. We see y’all. Our values and mission have not changed since 2016. Be on the lookout for things coming on our end. Be well. https://t.co/ocWVGrYzcj
— Minnesota Freedom Fund (@MNFreedomFund) June 16, 2020
The Minnesota Freedom Fund hasn’t published exactly how much it has raised since Floyd’s killing, but the Star Tribune reported June 10 that it had received $30 million from more than 900,000 donors. Those donors included celebrities like Seth Rogen, Steve Carrell and Jameela Jamil, who took to social media to call for others to give to the cause.
“This is unacceptable. You raised 35 million? What does it mean you ‘are working on doing more’? We literally have buildings burned down in North Minneapolis and Black businesses and families without essential resources. And there’s not a single Black person on your Board. SMGDH,” Nekima Levy-Armstrong, former president of the Minneapolis NAACP, wrote in a tweet.
This is unacceptable. You raised 35 million? What does it mean you “are working on doing more”? We literally have buildings burned down in North Minneapolis and Black businesses and families without essential resources. And there’s not a single Black person on your Board. SMGDH. https://t.co/PUAhSXoAFH
— Nekima Levy Armstrong (@nvlevy) June 16, 2020
Minnesota Freedom Fund Board President Octavia Smith told Bring Me the News that four of the nonprofit’s seven board members are people of color, contrary to criticisms claiming that the organization’s board is all white.
The Minnesota Freedom Fund’s website says that until recently, the organization handled about $1,000 in a typical day and was “adapting quickly to handle the volume and scale of the current need.” In 2018, it brought in about $110,000, according to tax filings.
In addition to posting bail, the Minnesota Freedom Fund will help with the legal process and costs for those facing charges, the organization wrote in a tweet Tuesday.
“To say again: we are paying, and have paid, all protest bail that’s come our way. There are a lot more people in jail on bail. Now, we can help on a scale impossible last month,” the fund wrote in a tweet.
“Support” starts with legal representation, court fees, and transportation, and starts with $150k. That can scale up as the project gets set up and costs start getting documented. We aren’t going to leave folks hanging, just like we aren’t going to stop paying bail. Speaking of,
— Minnesota Freedom Fund (@MNFreedomFund) June 16, 2020
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