YouTube removed a video from the channel of far-right vlogger Steve Crowder after he revealed three pages from the Nashville school shooter’s manifesto.
In a post to X on Tuesday, Crowder shared an email from YouTube that stated that the video had been taken down for violating the website’s community guidelines.
“Our community guidelines prohibit linking to content containing manifestos from individuals who have committed violent attacks, including the tragic event that took place in Nashville, Tennessee, in February 2023,” the email read.
The shooting, which led to the death of three children and three adults, was carried out by a transgender man who previously attended the school. Refusal by law enforcement to immediately release the manifesto was seen by conservatives as evidence of a cover-up, intended to hide the role of the shooter’s gender identity in the tragedy.
But the three pages from the manifesto showed no such mention of transitioning and instead showed the shooter’s anger towards what he saw as privileged white children. Conservatives quickly shifted gears and instead placed the blame on progressive ideology and even President Joe Biden.
Supporters of Crowder responded to the removal with vitriol. Some even accused YouTube of being an “enemy of the people.”
Critics, however, including other journalists who’ve been attempting to obtain the manifesto, argued that the three pages do not show the full picture.
“Multiple sources have told me that the selective leak of three pages of the #CovenantSchool shooting ‘manifesto’ is EXTREMELY misleading,” journalist Phil Williams wrote. “People who have read the whole thing say ‘there’s something in there for everybody.’ Another, ‘She hated everybody.’”
Crowder, in his Rumble video sharing the manifesto, seemed well aware he was violating YouTube’s policies, noting repeatedly he expected the video to be taken down.
In response, users argued that such claims highlight why the manifesto should be released in full.
At least one parent of a victim from the shooting has criticized Crowder and accused him of merely “chasing clicks.”
The Nashville mayor’s office confirmed on Monday that they are investigating how the three pages were leaked.
