Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

Cyclist who gave Trump the finger is showered with money

More than $70,000 USD in donations have poured into a crowdfunding site set up for the cyclist who was fired from her job for making a rude gesture to President Donald Trump's motorcade.

TOPSHOT - A woman on a bike gestures with her middle finger as a motorcade with US President Donald Trump departs Trump National Golf Course October 28, 2017 in Sterling, Virginia.
A woman on a bike gestures with her middle finger as a motorcade with US President Donald Trump departs Trump National Golf Course October 28, 2017. Source: AFP

More than 3,000 donations, from $5 to $250, have rolled in since November 6, when the GoFundMe campaign was set up on behalf of Juli Briskman.

Briskman's raised middle finger was caught by news photographers as Trump's motorcade passed her on October 28 as he left Trump National Golf Course in Sterling, Virginia. The image immediately went viral.

"He was passing by and my blood just started to boil," the Democrat mother of two, 50, told HuffPost at the time. 

"I'm thinking, 'he's at the damn golf course again'."

The photo only showed Briskman from the back, unidentifiable, her left arm out and middle finger up. 

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

It didn't take her long to realise that she was the person in the photo - all over the internet and television.

She proudly posted it as her profile picture on her Facebook and Twitter pages.

Three days later, the 50-year-old marketing executive was fired by her company, government contractor Akima.

"Thank you Juli Briskman," wrote Rob Mello, who set up the GoFundMe account, calling her "an inspiration to us all."

All the money raised goes directly to Briskman, he says on the site.


2 min read

Published

Source: AFP, SBS



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world