TikTtok removes video by libertarian organization defending Kyle Rittenhouse
'It is not illegal to post videos about the right to defend oneself,' said Young Americans for Liberty
Libertarian organization Young Americans for Liberty says it recently posted a video in support of Kyle Rittenhouse that was subsequently censored by TikTok
In early December, the group posted a video in response to reports that members of the Arizona State University student body were protesting Rittenhouse's online attendance at their university. The protestors called the acquitted teenager a "murderer," and claimed he posed a threat to the student body.
The video featured YAL's marketing strategist Brett Cooper condemning the students who were protesting, specifically noting the young man's acquittal.
"First of all, he was acquitted," Cooper says in the video. "And second of all, he was enrolled as an online student. Therefore, he will never interact with any of these social justice warriors. Therefore, they are trying to deny this young man a college education simply because they disagree with his beliefs and his actions. That is a dangerous precedent to set."
One day after the video was posted, it was flagged as "hate speech" and then removed, said YAL. The organization says it did not receive any explanation for why the video was flagged and removed except that it contained "illegal activities and regulated goods," which may have referred to an image of Rittenhouse carrying his gun.
"As if the Left’s unhinged hatred for Kyle Rittenhouse hadn’t already reached ridiculous heights, TikTok has proven itself to be a catalyst for the same kind of leftist censorship that has overrun platforms like Facebook and Twitter," said YAL chief of staff Sean Themea.