As more and more details emerge regarding the horrific terror attack which took place in London on Wednesday, controversy about the fundraising page set up for the police officer who was killed during the attack has also arisen.
Following the death of PC Keith Palmer, a fundraising page was set up on the JustGiving website for the Metropolitan Police Federation and since then, over £591,000 has been donated. However, 5% of the money raised for the cause is pocketed by JustGiving as a fee and the company is reportedly refusing to scrap the fee on this occasion.
JustGiving’s decision to maintain 5% of the money made from donations has upset many, with some suggesting that the money should go to the family of Keith Palmer.
Despite calls for JustGiving to waive their fee, a spokesperson for the company made a statement refusing to abandon its 5% cut. “We are proud that in the face of terror, our community is mobilising to support those affected and those who have tragically lost their lives” she said, “as with all our appeal pages, we take a small charge on donations, which enables us to provide the most robust and always-on platform”.
Although many are outraged by JustGiving’s decision to keep its profits, it appears as if the company will not be swayed anytime soon.