The International Olympic Committee (IOC) filed an automated copyright takedown yesterday with YouTube for hosting video of a Free Tibet protest at the Chinese Consulate in Manhattan Thursday night.

This is one of the worst ways that the DMCA and copyright can be used. Automatic procedures that allow for free speech to be censored cause irreparable harm. The video is clearly criticism as it depicts Tibetan monks being arrested and a parody of the Olympic logo being used as handcuffs. YouTube automatically pulled the video in response to the takedown claim.  I hope YouTube or the video producer sues the IOC for abuse of the takedown procedure.

The video has been posted to Vimeo and is up at this point:

NYC Chinese Consulate Projection Action 08.07.08 from Students for a Free Tibet on Vimeo.