diff --git a/bot/db_utils.py b/bot/db_utils.py
index 802e3f0..94e915e 100644
--- a/bot/db_utils.py
+++ b/bot/db_utils.py
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ def delete_player(username: str) -> bool:
     )
     player = CURSOR.fetchone()
 
+    if not player:
+        return False
+
     player_id = player[0]
 
     # Delete pulls
@@ -107,10 +110,40 @@ def delete_player(username: str) -> bool:
     return True
 
 
-def is_player_administrator(player_id: int) -> bool:
+def ban_player(username: str) -> bool:
+    '''Adds a player to the ban list.'''
+    try:
+        CURSOR.execute(
+            'INSERT INTO banned_players (handle) VALUES (?)',
+            (username,)
+        )
+        return True
+    except sqlite3.IntegrityError:
+        return False
+
+
+def unban_player(username: str) -> bool:
+    '''Removes a player from the ban list.'''
     CURSOR.execute(
-        'SELECT is_administrator FROM PLAYERS WHERE id = ? LIMIT 1',
-        (player_id,)
+        'DELETE FROM banned_players WHERE handle = ?',
+        (username,)
+    )
+    return CURSOR.rowcount > 0
+
+
+def is_player_banned(username: str) -> bool:
+    CURSOR.execute(
+        'SELECT * FROM banned_players WHERE handle = ?',
+        (username,)
+    )
+    row = CURSOR.fetchone()
+    return row is not None
+
+
+def is_player_administrator(username: str) -> bool:
+    CURSOR.execute(
+        'SELECT is_administrator FROM players WHERE username = ? LIMIT 1',
+        (username,)
     )
     row = CURSOR.fetchone()
     return row[0] if row else False
@@ -151,7 +184,8 @@ def add_to_whitelist(instance: str) -> bool:
     present'''
     try:
         CURSOR.execute(
-            'INSERT INTO instance_whitelist (tld) VALUES (?)', (instance,))
+            'INSERT INTO instance_whitelist (tld) VALUES (?)', (instance,)
+        )
         return True
     except sqlite3.IntegrityError:
         return False
diff --git a/bot/notification.py b/bot/notification.py
index faac1d3..deb8ec6 100644
--- a/bot/notification.py
+++ b/bot/notification.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from misskey.exceptions import MisskeyAPIException
 
 from config import NOTIFICATION_BATCH_SIZE, USE_WHITELIST
 from parsing import parse_notification
-from db_utils import get_config, set_config, is_whitelisted
+from db_utils import get_config, set_config, is_whitelisted, is_player_banned
 from response import generate_response
 from custom_types import BotResponse
 
@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ def process_notification(
     if not parsed_notification:
         return
 
+    author = parsed_notification['author']
+    if is_player_banned(author):
+        print(f'⚠️ Blocked notification from banned player: {author}')
+        return
+
     # Get the note Id to reply to
     note_id = notification.get('note', {}).get('id')
 
diff --git a/bot/parsing.py b/bot/parsing.py
index eece077..e1e8583 100644
--- a/bot/parsing.py
+++ b/bot/parsing.py
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ def parse_notification(
     note_id = note_obj.get("id")
 
     note = note_text.strip().lower() if note_text else ""
+    # Split words into tokens
+    parts = note.split()
 
     # Check for both short and fully-qualified name mentions
     username_variants = [
@@ -31,18 +33,16 @@ def parse_notification(
         f'@{config.USER.split("@")[1]}'
     ]
 
-    # Make sure the notification text explicitly mentions the bot
-    if not any(variant in note for variant in username_variants):
+    # Notifs must consist of the initial mention and at least one other token
+    if len(parts) <= 1:
         return None
 
-    # Find command and arguments after the mention
-    # Removes all mentions
-    # regex = mentions that start with @ and may contain @domain
-    cleaned_text = re.sub(r"@\w+(?:@\S+)?", "", note).strip()
-    parts = cleaned_text.split()
+    # Make sure the first token is a mention to the bot
+    if not parts[0] in username_variants:
+        return None
 
-    command = parts[0].lower() if parts else None
-    arguments = parts[1:] if len(parts) > 1 else []
+    command = parts[1].lower()
+    arguments = parts[2:] if len(parts) > 2 else []
 
     return {
         'author': full_user,
diff --git a/bot/response.py b/bot/response.py
index 16bd05e..f21d7b0 100644
--- a/bot/response.py
+++ b/bot/response.py
@@ -211,6 +211,52 @@ the whitelist',
         }
 
 
+def do_ban(author: str, args: list[str]) -> BotResponse:
+    if len(args) == 0:
+        return {
+            'message': f'{author} Please specify a user to ban',
+            'attachment_urls': None
+        }
+
+    if db.is_player_administrator(args[0]):
+        return {
+            'message': f'{author} Cannot ban other administrators.',
+            'attachment_urls': None
+        }
+
+    if db.ban_player(args[0]):
+        # Delete banned player's account
+        db.delete_player(args[0])
+        return {
+            'message': f'{author} 🔨 **BONK!** Get banned, {args[0]}!',
+            'attachment_urls': None
+        }
+    else:
+        return {
+            'message': f'{author} Player is already banned: {args[0]}',
+            'attachment_urls': None
+        }
+
+
+def do_unban(author: str, args: list[str]) -> BotResponse:
+    if len(args) == 0:
+        return {
+            'message': f'{author} Please specify a user to unban',
+            'attachment_urls': None
+        }
+
+    if db.unban_player(args[0]):
+        return {
+            'message': f'{author} Player unbanned: {args[0]}!',
+            'attachment_urls': None
+        }
+    else:
+        return {
+            'message': f'{author} Player was not banned: {args[0]}',
+            'attachment_urls': None
+        }
+
+
 def generate_response(notification: ParsedNotification) -> BotResponse | None:
     '''Given a command with arguments, processes the game state and
     returns a response'''
@@ -252,7 +298,7 @@ def generate_response(notification: ParsedNotification) -> BotResponse | None:
             pass
 
     # Commands beyond this point require the user to be an administrator
-    if not db.is_player_administrator(player_id):
+    if not db.is_player_administrator(author):
         return res
 
     # Admin commands
@@ -261,10 +307,10 @@ def generate_response(notification: ParsedNotification) -> BotResponse | None:
             res = do_whitelist(author, notification['arguments'])
         case 'unwhitelist':
             res = do_unwhitelist(author, notification['arguments'])
-        # case 'ban':
-        #     res = do_ban(author, notification['arguments'])
-        # case 'unban':
-        #     res = do_unban(author, notification['arguments'])
+        case 'ban':
+            res = do_ban(author, notification['arguments'])
+        case 'unban':
+            res = do_unban(author, notification['arguments'])
         case _:
             pass
 
diff --git a/migrations/0005_add_whitelist.sql b/migrations/0005_add_whitelist.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d24f2e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/0005_add_whitelist.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS instance_whitelist (
+    tld TEXT UNIQUE PRIMARY KEY
+);
+
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS banned_players (
+    handle TEXT UNIQUE PRIMARY KEY
+);