Formal Complaint: Dutch Climate Coalition vs. Google & YouTube Over Censorship of Climate, Nature, and Human Rights Content

The Dutch Climate Coalition, representing over 100 environmental, climate, and human rights organizations, is filing this formal complaint against Google and YouTube due to the removal of multiple YouTube channels belonging to member organizations.

This coordinated takedown occurred following the publication of a single video documenting the NATO Summit A12 blockade – a peaceful protest opposing the genocide in Gaza, the rise of fascism and racism, and the continued fossil fuel subsidies driving the climate crisis. The protest was met with brute police violence, resulting in three peaceful protesters sustaining broken arms and many beaten black and blue.

The Dutch Climate Coalition works collectively. EDSP.TV and TSO.News document these events for the Coalition. As joint actions often involve dozens of groups, videos are frequently published on multiple member channels — ensuring accuracy, wider public access, and full credit without commercial intent.

Shared publication:

• ensures each group shares accurate documentation with their audience,
• maximizes public access,
• and is done with full credit, without commercial or deceptive intent.

This shared media practice does not violate YouTube’s policies. Channel removals based on duplicated content are unjust and suppress legitimate political protest.

Evidence of Coordinated Action Against Coalition Channels

• Simultaneous Takedowns
  On July 3, 2025 at 13:07 h, multiple Coalition member channels were deleted, all citing violations of YouTube’s “spam, deceptive practices, and scams” policy — including The FAB, which never published the NATO Summit protest video but was removed nonetheless.

• FAB Anomaly
  The FAB YouTube channel was taken down despite never hosting the protest video. It was later restored — this demonstrates that the takedown was not triggered by the specific content but likely by a coordinated flagging of coalition-affiliated channels.

• Selective Restoration
  While The FAB and Klimaatcoalitie channels were restored after appeal, organizations such as Voor de Wind and XR Ambtenaren remain offline, without explanation.

• No Notification or Appeal Opportunity
  XR Venlo’s channel was deleted without any notification or the option to appeal—a clear violation of YouTube’s own policy.

Our Demands to Google & YouTube

1. Full Disclosure of the Takedown Trigger

• Identify the specific complaint, entity, or government request that led to these removals.

• Clarify whether external parties requested removal — we suspect possible involvement of the State of Israel.

2. Explanation for Selective Restoration

• Explain why only two of the five removed channels were reinstated after appeal.

• Share the criteria and reasoning used in content and channel appeals.

3. Notification to Affected Accounts

• Explain why XR Venlo was not notified of the deletion.

• Detail how YouTube will ensure future takedowns adhere to policy regarding notice and appeals.

4. Commitment to Protect Climate & Human Rights Content

• Provide a statement about how YouTube will prevent politically motivated crackdowns on climate, nature, and social justice organizations in the future.

• Commit to transparency regarding influence from governments or corporations in moderation decisions.

5. Investigation Into Coordinated Deletion of Coalition Channels

• Explain why The FAB channel — which never hosted the protest video — was removed alongside others.

• Disclose whether the takedowns resulted from automated sweeps, external reporting, or internal flagging of coalition-aligned entities.

• Commit to transparency around any coordinated moderation actions against civil society.

Google’s Takedown of Multiple Dutch Climate Coalition

YouTube Channels

On July 3, 2025 at 13:07 (CET), multiple YouTube channels belonging to member organizations of the Dutch Climate Coalition were suddenly removed. All deletions cited “severe or repeated violations” of YouTube’s Community Guidelines.

The removals appear linked to a single video documenting the NATO Summit A12 blockade — a peaceful protest against:

• the genocide in Gaza,

• ongoing fossil fuel subsidies driving the climate crisis,

• and the rise of fascism and racism.

Takedown & Appeal Notifications

• Simultaneous Deletions
  All affected organizations (except XR Venlo) received takedown notifications on July 3 at 13:07.

• XR Venlo Anomaly
  XR Venlo received only a July 1 email stating that the NATO Summit protest video was removed, but no notification of channel deletion and no option to appeal was ever provided.

Review of Appeals

• Channels Restored
  On the same day (July 3 at approximately 15:40), YouTube notified the Klimaatcoalitie and The FAB that, after review, their channels did not violate Community Guidelines and were restored.

• Channels Not Restored
  Voor de Wind and XR Ambtenaren submitted appeals using the same arguments as Klimaatcoalitie and The FAB. Their channels remain deleted without explanation.

• No Appeal Opportunity
  XR Venlo was never given the chance to appeal, in direct violation of YouTube’s own stated procedures.