YouTuber says no more 'Subscribe to PewDiePie' meme after NZ tragedy

In a solemn video posted on YouTube, PewDIePie calls for a stop to the popular Subscribe To PewDiePie meme that began as an online movement to get him more subscribers. — YouTube

YouTuber PewDiePie has called for an end to the mega-viral Subscribe to PewDiePie meme and online movement.

In an almost four minute-long video posted on April 28, PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, explained how Subscribe to PewDiePie started as a movement for fans to rally others to keep him as the most subscribed YouTuber of all time.

At that time, his biggest competition was Bollywood YouTube channel T-Series.

Kjellberg said he didn't think Subscribe To PewDiePie that began with people doing "positive and fun things to get attention" would end up taking a negative turn.

First, he expressed disappointment on the act of vandals spray painting the line "Subscribe to PewDiePie" three times over a portion of the Brooklyn War Memorial in New York back in March this year. 

"It's just so disgusting, so disappointing to have my name and community dragged into that," he said about the incident in his Ending the Subscribe to Pewdiepie Meme video. Kjellberg explained that he disavowed the act, facilitated to have the words removed and even donated money to the park where the memorial is located. 

On March 15 this year, Kjellberg's online movement was dragged into the spotlight for the wrong reasons again. A gunman opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand and had posted a 17-minute livestream of his act on Facebook before clips went viral on other social media platforms.