A video on YouTube from the German neo-Nazi music band Lunikoff, in 2007. Image by Getty

By Ari Feldman June 6, 2019

As YouTube cracks down on Holocaust denial on its video platform, it has deleted the account of a prominent anti-Semitism researcher, seemingly in error, the Jewish Chronicle reported.

On Wednesday, YouTube said in a press release that it would begin deleting videos from its site that “alleg[e] that a group is superior in order to justify discrimination, segregation or exclusion based on” protected categories. The statement said that that included videos that glorified the Nazis or deny “well documented events,” of which the site listed the Holocaust and the Sandy Hook shooting as examples.

But the policy change seemed to catch David Collier, an anti-Semitism researcher in the U.K., on accident.

Antisemitism Notebook

Your weekly guide through the news and the noise of how rising antisemitism and disputes over how to address it are shaping American Jewish life.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

“It’s so hurtful,” Collier wrote on Twitter. “Hours and hours of unique, irreplaceable footage gone,” he said. “Oh the antisemities are dancing today!”

Collier has gained prominence in the U.K. for researching instances of anti-Semitic statements from politicians in the country’s left-wing Labour party.

It’s like a virus. YouTube have now banned my YT channel for ‘hate-speech’ – probably because as a fighter against #antisemitism– I share examples of it. It’s so hurtful. hours & hours of unique – irreplaceable footage gone. Oh the antisemites are dancing today! @TeamYouTube

— David Collier (@mishtal) June 6, 2019

By Thursday, Collier had had his account restored.

Ari Feldman is a staff writer at the Forward. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @aefeldman

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount