Tor Gustafsson Brookes (born either 1997 or 1998),[1] better known by his online alias CatboyKami, is a Swedish-born Australian internet personality and streamer[2] known for various online activities associated with far-right activism.
CatboyKami | |
|---|---|
| Born | Tor Gustafsson Brookes June 1, 1998[citation needed] |
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Other names | Philip Hedley (Pseudonym) |
| Occupation | Streamer |
| Years active | 2019–present |
| Known for | White supremacist activism |
Kick information | |
| Channel | |
| Followers | 2.5K (Suspended) |
Last updated: 15 September, 2024 | |
Early life
editTor Brookes was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, and he was raised in Brisbane, Australia.[1] In his youth, he played various video games with his father, under the online username "Kamikaze".[1] Brookes finished high school in or around 2015, and started streaming in 2019.[3]
Online activities
editFormerly known by the username "lolisocks" (among other aliases), he frequently engages livestreaming himself in various activities, with online trolling of users on the popular chatting site Omegle being particularly notable.[1][3][4]
Many of these clips are often shared through his personal Telegram channel.[5][4] His most notorious stream was a 10-hour-long escapade with American white nationalist Nick Fuentes, streamed in December 2019.[1]
Starting in mid-2020, Brookes streamed and uploaded multiple videos of himself to DLive and BitChute, where he wore racist outfits, including blackface and stereotypical outfits mocking Blacks, Asians, and Jews.[4] He also mocked the murder of George Floyd.[4] His activities inspired ex-journalist Paul Miller, known online as GypsyCrusader, who became involved in similar pursuits.[4]
Brookes, along with online streamer Anthime Gionet (known online as Baked Alaska), attended a rally in Phoenix, Arizona,[2] where he chanted that "we will not fall for the lies of the Jews this time. This time, we know our war is with them",[6] referring to the conspiracy theory that Donald Trump won the 2020 American election.[3] Later at the rally, he clashed with a group of anti-Trump activists, where a Mexican activist alleged he yelled racist catchphrases and racial slurs.[1]
In February 2021, one of Brookes' streams was played at a Zoom meeting on racial equality organized by Pennsylvania State University, where he depicted himself dressed up as a police officer, kneeling on a doll of George Floyd.[7] Later, Brookes was interviewed by the FBI, which he described as a "raid".[1]
Throughout his online activities, Brookes attempted to hide his real identity.[1] In July 2021, Brookes was outed by journalist Alex Mann, who revealed his real name on an ABC radio podcast episode.[3][6] Before being identified, Brookes was often referred to as "Philip Hedley".[2][6]
On October 9, 2024, Brookes was indefinitely suspended from Kick for hate speech.[8] Shortly after this, he began streaming on Rumble.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h Mann, Alex (23 July 2021). "A far-right troll's journey from an Ipswich bedroom to global infamy". ABC Radio National. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ a b c Sacks, Brianna (10 November 2021). "These Young Latinas Showed Up To A Trump Rally To Celebrate Biden. What They Got Was A Complicated Snapshot Of Where America Is". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d Mann, Alex; Bogle, Ariel (23 July 2021). "Unmasking one of Australia's most shocking far-right trolls". ABC News. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Extremist Trolls are Targeting Omegle Users with Virulent Racism, Antisemitism". Anti-Defamation League. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ "Risk of misogyny among extremists". Eastern Eye. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2022 – via PressReader.
- ^ a b c "Right-wing Extremists React to President-elect Biden's Victory with Anger and Vague Threats of Violence". Anti-Defamation League. 8 November 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ Blackburne, Carolyn (16 February 2021). "Penn State University Police investigate 'Zoom-bombings'". Fox43. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ "CatboyKami reads an official email regarding his Kick suspension". Catbox. 13 October 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.