UK Jewish groups call on government to prevent Hasan Piker entering the country
Far-left streamer described as having 'a record of promoting rhetoric that includes antisemitic themes, denial of well documented atrocities and apparent support for extremist groups'
UK Jewish groups have called for the government to ban the entry of a notorious far-left US political commentator with troubling positions on Hamas and Hezbollah who has also described Orthodox Jews as “inbred” and has likened Zionism to Nazism.
Hasan Piker, a far-left streamer and political commentator, was due to appear at an event in June for UnHerd magazine, in conversation with far left economist Yanis Varoufakis and a former Associate Editor of the Financial Times, Wolfgang Munchau. The magazine described this as “a special live recording of the Econoclasts podcast” in which Varoufakis and Munchau would “challenge Piker on what the ascendency of the online Left means for America and the world.
Piker, who has millions of followers across different social media platforms, has a long track record of highly incendiary comments. He described the allegations of extreme sexual violence carried out against Israelis on 7 October as “rape fantasies”, subsequently going on to say that “it doesn’t matter if rapes f***ing happened on 7 October, like that doesn’t change the dynamic for me… the Palestinian resistance is not perfect.” He has described how in his opinion “Hamas is a thousand times better than Israel”, describing it as “a militant resistance comprised of orphaned soldiers born into a 77 year occupation” and has said that he is “a lesser evil voter and therefore I would vote for Hamas over Israel every single time.”
The ADL, America’s most prominent organisation combating antisemitism, has described how “Piker’s record of support for designated terrorist organizations and derogatory rhetoric about Jews represents a dangerous pattern that his millions of followers are exposed to regularly. His growing involvement in electoral politics and mainstream media amplifies these messages far beyond fringe spaces.”
Piker has also described how he does “not have a single issue with Hezbollah as a form of militancy trying to incur penalties on the genocidal state of Israel.” He has also described Hezbollah’s flag as his favourite… Look it up. I’m not even kidding. It’s actually a dope flag…It’s got an AK on it and a fucking hand holding it up!” He has described how he believes that “any kind of fuc**** Zionist tendency should be treated in the same way as being a f***ing rabid neo-Nazi” and has described Zionism as “a mental illness”.
Both Hamas and Hezbollah are proscribed as terrorist organisations in the UK; the majority of Jews – both in the UK and worldwide, are Zionists.
A spokesperson for CST said: ““Hasan Piker has a record of promoting rhetoric that includes antisemitic themes, denial of well documented atrocities and apparent support for extremist groups. This is entirely unacceptable, particularly given his large online following.
“At a time of record levels of antisemitism in the UK, it is vital that all institutions, including event organisers, act responsibly and consider the potential impact of this kind of rhetoric. The UK should not be a platform for individuals who spread hatred or legitimise extremism.”
In a similar vein, a spokesperson for the JLC said: “Hasan Piker should not be allowed to enter the UK to spread his 7 October denialism and apparent support for terrorist organisations to a British audience. In a climate where Jews are being stabbed on the streets of London, this rhetoric is dangerous. This is not conducive to the public good and the government should ban him.”
Other comments made by Hasan include comparing an [antisemitic] Houthi pirate to Anne Frank and reacting to the appearance of a Vietnamese pro-Trump guest on the BBC in 2020 by calling her a “South Vietnamese motherfu*****, whatever, like Christian supremacist psychotic fuc****refugee living in America now and able to talk that sh**” on his stream, telling her to “go back and live in fuc**** South Vietnam in the same conditions.”
The American Jewish Congress has compared what it has described as “Piker‘s extreme far-left antisemitism” with “the far-right antisemitism of white-supremacist influencer Nick Fuentes”.
The Home Office has been contacted for comment.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
