YouTube Shuts Down Portuguese Far-Right Group’s Channel After NYT Inquiries

Alphabet Inc’s YouTube has taken down the video channel of Portuguese ultranationalist group Grupo 1143. This action for violating YouTube’s hate speech policy was prompted by queries from the New York Times, according to YouTube’s statement on Tuesday.

The U.S. newspaper is investigating how online hate speech can incite real-world violence, referencing recent riots in Britain and using Portugal as one example.

“Our policies strictly prohibit content that glorifies hateful supremacist propaganda, including hateful symbols,” a YouTube spokesperson told Reuters. “We terminated a channel provided to us by the New York Times,” clarifying that the channel was that of Grupo 1143.

Grupo 1143 is led by neo-Nazi activist Mario Machado, aged 47, who has a criminal record including assault and racial discrimination.

“The global Left has teamed up to try to silence the biggest Portuguese nationalist organisation of the last 50 years,” Machado wrote on X, condemning what he called the “censorship” of the @Grupo1143 by YouTube at the behest of the NYT.

Despite the shutdown on YouTube, Grupo 1143’s accounts on X and Telegram remain active.

The group has organized anti-immigration and anti-Islam protests earlier this year, including one in April in Porto, followed by two attacks on migrants in May. The migrants were severely beaten at their homes.

Authorities have stated they are investigating the group over the attacks. Grupo 1143 has denied any responsibility.

YouTube’s hate speech policy bans content promoting violence or hatred based on attributes like immigration status, nationality, or religion.

In the first quarter of 2024, YouTube removed over 157,000 videos globally for violating its hate speech rules.

Source: Reuters