Twitch suspends YouTuber Leafy after Pokimane harassment

Olivia Richman Published 12/09/2020

Controversial YouTuber LeafyIsHere has been banned on Twitch.

Leafy was banned from YouTube last month for continuously creating videos about streamer Imane “Pokimane” Anys. Many of the videos were considered to just be clickbait since Pokimane was in the thumbnail but the videos were largely about investing. Previously, Leafy had infamously published a video calling out Pokimane for having a boyfriend.

Leafy also took the drama to Twitter, where he tweeted about Pokimane’s alleged relationship. This started a hashtag campaign that also had some subscribers demanding the truth about Pokimane’s possible boyfriend.

pokimane has a boyfriend
— Leafy (@Leafy) August 9, 2020

Despite taking a break from streaming for burnout, Pokimane broke her silence to address Leafy’s ongoing harassment. She told fans that she had a right to her privacy, neither confirming nor denying the boyfriend rumor. She also stated in her apology video that she wasn’t the reason behind Leafy’s YouTube account being shut down.

Many of Leafy’s fans were frustrated over his YouTube ban on August 24. Leafy moved to Twitch soon after, where he would frequently appear over the next three months. But Leafy has now lost his Twitch account as well.

Leafy posted an email saying it was his “first defense,” asking for help contacting Twitch support.

wtf bezos just when i started having fun @TwitchSupport – is there any appealing this, was my first offense bro lmfao pic.twitter.com/7B7rMvCfQv
— Leafy (@Leafy) September 11, 2020

Why was Leafy banned from Twitch?

On Twitter, some fans claimed that Leafy had used racial epithets. Others said that he had told people to “kill themselves.”

Twitch didn’t make a public statement explaining their decision, but Kotaku shared an email from a Twitch representative that spoke to the ban.

“The safety of our community is our top priority, and we reserve the right to suspend any account for conduct that violates our rules, or that we determine to be inappropriate, harmful, or puts our community at risk,” the email said.

YouTube and podcast star Ethan “H3H3” Klein shared a clip of a Leafy interview that may have led to Twitch’s decision. In the clip, Leafy said he was carrying a weapon without having a permit. He also admitted that he wanted someone to “give me an excuse to shoot them.” Leafy then stated it was “kind of” a joke.

Leafy confesses he went to the protests with an illegally conceiled gun, saying he was “looking for someone to give me an excuse to shoot them”. Truly disturbing. pic.twitter.com/ssm22g6KRt
— Ethan Klein (@h3h3productions) August 27, 2020

While some followers called on Leafy to be “locked up,” others felt that H3H3’s tweet was “propaganda” against the commentary YouTuber. Either way, it seems that Twitch has made the same decision that YouTube previously had.

“I thought there would be a warning first or something,” Leafy tweeted after the ban. “I mean it was obvious I was pushing it but still was being somewhat mindful of [Twitch’s Terms of Service].”

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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