After having his GoFundMe fundraiser yanked, a new campaign has been launched to help disgraced rugby player Israel Folau raise $1 million to cover his legal expenses after getting fired for being a homophobe. And it’s making serious bank.
GoFundMe announced earlier this week that it was suspending Folau’s campaign to raise $3 million to cover his legal expenses after he his contract with the New South Wales Waratahs team was terminated when he wrote a series of antigay social media posts. The fundraising platform said Folau’s campaign breached its terms of service.
“While we welcome GoFundMe engaging in diverse civil debate, we do not tolerate the promotion of discrimination or exclusion,” said GoFundMe’s regional manager Nicola Britton said. “Today we will be closing Israel Folau’s campaign and issuing full refunds to all donors.”
Related: GoFundMe shuts down Israel Folau’s homophobic $3 million fundraiser
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That’s when the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL), Christian extremist political lobbying group, stepped in.
The organization set up a fundraiser on its website to raise $1 million on Folau’s behalf, pledging the first $100,000 towards the fundraiser for his legal fees.
Supporters quickly followed suit, donating at a rate of a purported $1,000 per minute, and the $1 million fundraiser quicker made it’s goal and then some.
As of today, ACL has raked in over $1.5 million, in part thanks to the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney pledging his support to his “Christian brother” and encouraging “Christians” to do so as well.
“There is an outpouring of support for Israel Folau from the Australian community, who see Israel’s case as their case,” said ACL managing director, Martyn Iles. “They feel the pinch of political correctness, and the erosion of their basic freedoms.”
“Folau’s supporters will only be emboldened in their commitment by what has happened. They were concerned about their freedoms, and GoFundMe has yet again reminded them that their concerns are real.”
“Israel’s case is our case if we want to live free and embrace our beliefs without fear of being marginalized or discriminated against.”
Unlike Folau’s initial $3 million GoFundMe campaign, which made no promise that the money raised would go towards his legal expenses, ACL says it will deposit the new funds into a trust for Folau to use exclusively for legal expenses.
According to the Australian Business Review, Folau has a $5.6 million property portfolio that includes seven different properties in and around Sydney.
The 30-year-old lives with his wife in a five bedroom, 5-acre property just outside of Sydney and drives a $500,000 Lamborghini.
Related: GoFundMe shuts down Israel Folau’s homophobic $3 million fundraiser
Vince
Haha. It’s funny they don’t trust him. Could it be that this is more than just about him?
I say let them though. If the Bible bigots are so anxious to waste their money on this wealthy dude that could easily pay for his own defense more power to them. I’m sure there’s no poor people out there that could have used that money anyways.
GREATGLORYHOLER
I think it will be so Funny for all those Bible Beater to loose their money they Donated when They Loose the law suit against his Bosses. It had nothing to do with his Religion. He Broke The Teams Policies/Rules that is why he was Terminated The only people getting Rich are his Lawyers
ShiningSex
let the fake christians support that vermin.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Meanwhile the millions of starving children around the world in unison state “WTF”????
Chrystal
I don’t know how anyone can claim to be a Christian yet encourage,support and defend hatred towards others. These people aren’t true Christians. I’m not certain about a lot of things but I’m certain that God loves everyone
UlfRaynor
Really, the god of the Bible calls for us to be brutally murdered, which god are you referring too?
JJinAus
Seriously, have you read the bible?
Chrisk
If you believe that the Bible is the word of then you also have to accept the God is a genocidal, homicidal, petty God.
Cam
What a surprise, a Christian group raising money to defend bigotry and hate.
Leeane314
How many people kept she who will not be named in KY? Bigots are us at work again!
Mack
There’s a lot of bigots out there. But in the end it’s all a fake religion. What they do has nothing to do with Christ, but with hatred.
frankcar1965
He’s kinda sexy but I hope he gets hit by a truck and dies a slow tortuous death. I’m tired if these nasty people.
marion
Heard him speak for the first time the other day. I can see why he believes in religion, dude has no brain whatsoever.
James
THE MONEY WILL BE SPEND IN A MONTH AND THE CHRIXTIAN TRASH WILL HAVE TO GET A JOB AT A BURGER KING.