Twitch has “indefinitely suspended President Trump’s Twitch channel due to the ongoing risk of further incitement of violence.” The company banned the now-former US president’s account earlier this month following his supporters’ attack on the Capitol building, and now confirms that suspension is indefinite. Twitch also plans to update its “policies as a result of our consideration of this situation.”
“The President’s statements continue to be interpreted as calls to action, and we are taking this action to remove the potential for harm to our community and the general public,” Twitch says in a statement sent to various press outlets, including IGN. The company says that Trump’s “statements continue to be interpreted as calls to action”, and has caused Twitch to reevaluate its policies regarding hateful conduct and incitement of violence.
“The events of the past weeks have highlighted a gap with respect to rhetoric that encourages violence, regardless of whether or not it was directly streamed on Twitch. We will be updating our policies as a result of our consideration of this situation.”
Trump was previously suspended from Twitch last year following a rally in which he claimed without evidence that Mexico was sending drug dealers and rapists to the United States.
Donald Trump is the first US president to be banned from Twitch twice. (He was also the first US president to be banned from Twitch once.)
