Following an outcry from his followers, YouTuber Felix “PewDiePie” Kjellberg has pulled a pledge to donate to an anti-hate group.
Felix “PewDiePie” Kjellberg had promised to donate $50,000 to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a non-profit organisation that fights antisemitism. Kjellberg’s determination to donate got here as an try to maneuver on after the tragic occasions at Christchurch, New Zealand.
The Christchurch shooter, who livestreamed the assault, requested followers to subscribe to PewDiePie’s YouTube channel. Although Kjellberg distanced himself from what occurred instantly, his personal historical past is stuffed with bigoted, insensitive and antisemitic feedback and “jokes.”
PewDiePie famously employed males to carry up an indication that learn “Death to all Jews” again in 2017 as a “joke.” The transfer compelled Disney, a former sponsor, to drop his channel, and precipitated a PR nightmare for YouTube.
He additionally beforehand used the N-word whereas enjoying PUBG in a well-known video that itself spawned a meme. Just as issues have been seemingly turning round for PewDiePie and YouTube, the Swedish vlogger launched a brand new video to announce that he gained’t be honouring his charitable pledge.
“I made the mistake of picking a charity that I was advised to instead of picking a charity that I’m personally passionate about,” Kjellberg stated in the vlog. “I also didn’t know a lot things that surfaced throughout this whole thing about the charity that doesn’t fit at all.”
“It really doesn’t feel genuine for me to proceed with the donation at this point and I instead want to take my time, keep the intenet that I have, but just do it with the right charity and doing it properly.”
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