Youtube star PewDiePie mentioned in video of shooter before NZ attack

By TAMAR URIEL-BEERI
A Youtube screenshot of PewDiePie, 2019. (photo credit: YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT)
A Youtube screenshot of PewDiePie, 2019.
(photo credit: YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT)
The mass shooter who entered a mosque at Christchurch, New Zealand on Friday and killed 49 people allegedly released a video on social media before entering the mosque in which he told his viewers to follow the Youtuber PewDiePie.
Four people soon after the attack were taken into interrogations. New Zealand Police revealed that a short time before the attack, one of those suspects had released a video on social media, as well as a 74-page manifesto discussing the Youtubers who had influenced his extremist views. "Remember lads, subscribe to PewDiePie," he said in the video.
PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, is currently in a battle with Bollywood music channel T-Series for the crown of Youtuber with the most followers on the platform. PewDiePie has been reigning the platform for years, but recently, his title has been threatened by the Indian music channel. It has become an international "meme" to discuss the competition and tell people to follow either PewDiePie or T-Series.
"I feel absolutely sickened having my name uttered by this person," PewDiePie wrote on his Twitter page on Friday following the attack. "My heart and thoughts go out to the victims, families and everyone affected by this tragedy."

PewDiePie has previously been involved in conflict as he was criticized of antisemitism in 2017 over a video he uploaded to his channel in which he displayed a short clip of two men holding a sign saying "death to all Jews." This caused his Disney-sponsored channel to be dropped by the company.


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