YouTube issues strike two against Steven Crowder's channel

YouTube has once again suspended BlazeTV host Steven Crowder's channel, issuing a second "strike" against the comedian for reportedly violating the platform's harassment and cyber bullying policies with a video on the tragic shooting death of Ma'khia Bryant by a police officer.

Crowder's April 21 show was removed from YouTube. The episode covered how 16-year-old Bryant was attacking another person with a knife before a responding police officer fatally shot her. Crowder and his co-hosts argued that the shooting was justified, making jokes about the circumstances of the shooting. According to YouTube, Crowder's commentary crossed a line that violated its Community Guidelines.

"YouTube Creators share their opinions on a wide range of different topics," the company said in a statement to Crowder's team. "However, there's a line between passionate debate and malicious harassment. Content containing targeted harassment including, but not limited to, stalking, threats, bullying, and intimidation is not allowed on YouTube."

In an email to Crowder's attorney, Bill Richmond, YouTube accused Crowder of "reveling in or mocking" Bryant's death.

"In particular, this video violated the aspect of the policy that prohibits 'content reveling in or mocking the death or serious injury of an identifiable individual.' Accordingly, the video has been removed and a strike has been applied to the Steven Crowder channel. This constitutes the second active strike on the Steven Crowder channel and, as a result, uploads are now suspended for two weeks," the company said.

Crowder's team reported that YouTube also suspended the CrowderBits channel with a hard strike.

YouTube has a three-strike policy when it comes to violations of its Community Guidelines. After an initial warning, the first strike is applied to a channel that violates YouTube's standards and results in account suspension for a minimum of one week. Account privileges will be restored at the end of the week, but the first strike will remain on a user's channel for a 90-day period.

If a channel violates YouTube's guidelines again during those 90 days, it will receive a second strike and be suspended for two weeks. Each strike will not expire until 90 days from the time it was issued.

Three strikes and you're out. If a third strike is applied to a channel within the same 90-day period, that channel will be permanently removed from YouTube.

In response, Crowder accused YouTube of having a double standard on harassment and cyber bullying.

"Why no live show today, you ask? Ah. Well YouTube hit our channel with a second hard strike, saying we violated their harassment guidelines," Crowder tweeted Wednesday. "Which is interesting when you consider all the harassment YouTube allows if it comes from the left ..."

TheBlaze reached out to YouTube for clarification on what specific comments in Crowder's video violated the rules. This story will be updated if YouTube responds.