The co-founder of Rebel News, Ezra Levant, Tweeted this morning that PayPal has cancelled the company’s account. Levant said that the payment processor had provided no explanation to Rebel News and closed the account without warning.
Levant has appealed to his audience for financial support to allow him to sue PayPal. Taking to social media last night he said:
“Look, this isn’t a mistake. It’s a cancel culture attack on the largest independent news agency in Canada. It’s censorship. They’re finally coming to kill us.”
Levant claims that PayPal sent him a letter by email last Friday, after business hours. The letter was blunt. It simply stated that the account was being closed. Levant says that the email had no signature, contact information, explanation or information as to how to appeal.
He (Levant) said that his personal PayPal account was closed at the same time. PayPal is yet to comment. According to rt.com:
“…denial of service by banks and payment processors has been a popular way of shutting down unpopular outlets and online platforms over the past several years. Back in March, Gab CEO Andrew Torba revealed that several banks have refused to do business with his company citing bad coverage in the corporate press, urging like-minded Americans to “cancel them all before they cancel us.”
This is a great example of the dangers of a cashless society. It is absolutely terrifying to think that banks and payment processors can withdraw service from customers, because of their politics or their opinions. Rebel News hasn’t broken any laws.
I have no time for Ezra Levant and even less time for his mate Tommy Robinson, but PayPal should not be allowed to close his account. Again, he has broken no laws.
Google/YouTube demonetised much of the independent media three years ago, closing down a vital revenue stream for content creators. I don’t upload The Richie Allen Show to YouTube anymore as Google has told me that I will never be allowed to place ads on the episodes.
Google has never provided me with an explanation. What can I do?
Independent content creators are almost exclusively dependent on their audience for support. The Richie Allen Show is no different. In a cashless society, it will be very easy for the enemies of free speech and the free flow of information to make it impossible for consumers to support the content they like.
Scary times.
