PayPal Shuts Down Access For Richard Spencer, Other Right-Wing Extremists

Hayley Miller

PayPal says it will cut off its services to hate groups and other users collecting donations to promote violence and racial intolerance in the wake of Saturday’s deadly clashes at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The online payment platform condemned extremist groups ― including neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan ― in a blog post Tuesday and vowed to crack down on their use of the company’s services.

“The events in Charlottesville are yet another disturbing example of the many forms that racism and hatred manifest,” Franz Paasche, PayPal’s senior vice president of corporate affairs and communications, wrote in the blog post.

“PayPal will – as we consistently have in the past – limit or end customer relationships and prohibit the use of our services by those that meet the thresholds of violating our policy,” he continued.

Demonstrators carry confederate and Nazi flags during the Unite the Right free speech rally at Emancipation Park in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Aug. 12, 2017. (Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Demonstrators carry confederate and Nazi flags during the Unite the Right free speech rally at Emancipation Park in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Aug. 12, 2017. (Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Paasche also acknowledged the difficulty in navigating the “fine lines” between “opinion-based, offensive websites” and those who violate their Acceptable Use Policy.

“Maintaining the necessary balance between protecting the principles of tolerance, diversity and respect for people of all backgrounds with upholding legitimate free expression and open dialogue can be difficult, but we do our very best to achieve it,” Paasche said.

PayPal released the statement just hours after the Southern Poverty Law Center published a report Tuesday suggesting the company’s services played an integral role in helping organizers raise money for Saturday’s white nationalist rally.

“Organizers, speakers, and individual attendees relied on the platform to move funds in the run up to the ultimately deadly event,” SPLC reported.

SPLC listed several right-wing extremists who used PayPal to help fund the event, including Jason Kessler, the main organizer behind the “Unite the Right” rally, and Richard Spencer, a white nationalist and alt-right personality.

As of Wednesday, PayPal accounts associated with Spencer, Kessler and several other hate groups had been suspended.

(Photo: Paypal screengrab)
(Photo: Paypal screengrab)
(Photo: Paypal screengrab)
(Photo: Paypal screengrab)

The company plans to remove at least 34 organizations, including two groups that sell gun accessories specifically for the purpose of killing Muslims, according to The Washington Post.

Still, SPLC and other advocacy groups questioned why it took so long for PayPal to take action.

“Despite the company’s Acceptable Use Policy explicitly banning ‘the promotion of hate, violence, [and] racial intolerance,’ ... organizers and attendees were allowed to utilize PayPal’s surface before and after the events in Charlottesville,” SPLC said.

Rashad Robinson, executive director of racial justice organization Color of Change, said his group has been working with PayPal to “cut off a number of hate groups that they allowed for years to generate revenue” using their services.

“We appreciate the company’s willingness to take [a] stand against violent racist extremism after months of pressure, “Robinson told Mic. “And we hope to push them further.”

Justin Higgs, a spokesperson for PayPal told HuffPost that there’s an internal group focused on thoroughly monitoring potentially problematic users, but noted that it can be challenging to pinpoint offensive rhetoric versus the promotion of hate.

“Sometimes there will be distasteful material, but its not quite over the line of violating policy,” Higgs said.

Several other financial services companies have taken a stand against right-wing extremists in the wake of the Charlottesville violence, including crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

GoFundMe, one of the most popular fundraising sites, shut down several campaigns seeking donations to benefit the James Alex Fields Jr., the 20-year-old accused of deliberately ramming his car into a crowd of counterprotesters Saturday in Charlottesville, killing a woman, Reuters reported.

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Also on HuffPost

Neo-Nazis and white supremacists encircle and chant at counter-protesters at the base of a Thomas Jefferson statue on Aug. 11, 2017, after marching with torches through the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Neo-Nazis and white supremacists encircle and chant at counter-protesters at the base of a Thomas Jefferson statue on Aug. 11, 2017, after marching with torches through the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Neo-Nazis and white supremacists take part in the "Unite the Right" rally.
Neo-Nazis and white supremacists take part in the "Unite the Right" rally.
The group marched through the University of Virginia campus with torches.
The group marched through the University of Virginia campus with torches.
A man wears Nazi regalia before the "Unite the Right" rally.
A man wears Nazi regalia before the "Unite the Right" rally.
Counter-protesters arrive at the "Unite the Right" rally.
Counter-protesters arrive at the "Unite the Right" rally.
White supremacists carry Nazi flags on Aug. 12, 2017.
White supremacists carry Nazi flags on Aug. 12, 2017.
A white supremacist carries the Confederate flag as he walks past counter-demonstrators.
A white supremacist carries the Confederate flag as he walks past counter-demonstrators.
White nationalists march through the street.
White nationalists march through the street.
A sign on a business in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia.
A sign on a business in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia.
Police arrive at the scene of protests after a state of emergency is announced in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Police arrive at the scene of protests after a state of emergency is announced in Charlottesville, Virginia.
A man is down during a clash between white nationalist protesters and a group of counter-protesters.
A man is down during a clash between white nationalist protesters and a group of counter-protesters.
White nationalists and counter-protesters clash.
White nationalists and counter-protesters clash.
A protester receives first-aid during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
A protester receives first-aid during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
A man makes a slashing motion across his throat toward counter-protesters as he marches with other white nationalists and neo-Nazis during the "Unite the Right" rally.
A man makes a slashing motion across his throat toward counter-protesters as he marches with other white nationalists and neo-Nazis during the "Unite the Right" rally.
A white supremacist stands behind militia members after he scuffled with a counter-demonstrator.
A white supremacist stands behind militia members after he scuffled with a counter-demonstrator.
Virginia State Police use pepper spray as they move in during a clash between white nationalist protesters and counter-protesters.
Virginia State Police use pepper spray as they move in during a clash between white nationalist protesters and counter-protesters.
Hundreds of white nationalists and neo-Nazis march down East Market Street toward Lee Park during the "Unite the Right" rally.
Hundreds of white nationalists and neo-Nazis march down East Market Street toward Lee Park during the "Unite the Right" rally.
A smoke bomb is thrown at a group of counter-protesters.
A smoke bomb is thrown at a group of counter-protesters.
Virginia State Troopers stand under a statue of Robert E. Lee. White nationalists descended on Charlottesville to protest the statue's removal.
Virginia State Troopers stand under a statue of Robert E. Lee. White nationalists descended on Charlottesville to protest the statue's removal.
Anti-fascist counter-protesters wait outside Lee Park to hurl insults as white nationalists and neo-Nazis are forced out after the "Unite the Right" rally was declared an unlawful gathering.
Anti-fascist counter-protesters wait outside Lee Park to hurl insults as white nationalists and neo-Nazis are forced out after the "Unite the Right" rally was declared an unlawful gathering.
A group of counter-protesters rally against white nationalists.
A group of counter-protesters rally against white nationalists.
A man is seen with an injury during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
A man is seen with an injury during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
Protesters and counter-protesters after being pepper-sprayed and/or maced.
Protesters and counter-protesters after being pepper-sprayed and/or maced.
David Duke (C), participates in the white nationalist rally.
David Duke (C), participates in the white nationalist rally.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.

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