Controversial streamer Hasan Piker's lecture axed by University of Washington amid free-speech questions
A University of Washington lecture featuring progressive Twitch commentator Hasan Piker is off, with school officials citing a flawed planning process as the reason for the cancellation.
Piker, a far-left streamer and YouTube personality, was set to appear in January as part of the school’s 2026-27 Speaker Series, the university said in a statement.
However, following "a review of the process by which the event was planned," the university canceled the event.
"It was determined that the process for organizing this event did not meet the necessary level of rigor for University-hosted events in the Speaker Series," the statement said.
"Going forward, procedures will be updated to ensure the standards we have for University-hosted events like the Speaker Series are met, particularly so that we can help elevate the level of dialogue on divisive topics during a polarized time in our country," it added.
The university’s cancellation of Piker, who previously said America "deserved 9/11" before later calling the remark "inappropriate," has prompted criticism from First Amendment advocates, with the nonprofit civil liberties group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) condemning the move.
"If the decision was based on process — and not public backlash or criticism — @UW should be transparent about what standards were not met and how they were applied," the organization said in an X post.
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"Public universities can set standards for events. But they can’t use those standards as cover for canceling a speaker because of their views," it added.
Andrew Kolvet, the executive producer of the Charlie Kirk Show and a Turning Point USA spokesperson, said on X: "Let the radical Mao loving communist Hasan Piker speak, so long as he can resist the urge to call for the death of his political opponents. Universities do this to TPUSA often and blame some admin error etc. It’s wrong."
Piker, a socialist, rose to fame following a series of controversial comments, and most recently faced backlash after he called for Democrats who are unsupportive of Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed to face consequences for not holding the party line.
The popular streamer added that the party should use "Marxist-Leninist" punishment against anyone who fails to "follow the party line," but acknowledged that debate among the Democrats is expected in order to reach a decision.
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His comments came just two days after El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination, narrowly defeating Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., in the primary. Piker had previously appeared alongside El-Sayed on the campaign trail, who is set to face off against Republican nominee Mike Rogers in November.
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville, who has previously spoken out against Piker’s rhetoric, recently doubled down on his criticism of the podcaster.
"I am not going to be in the same party with Hasan Piker," Carville said on "The Sunday Briefing" earlier this month. "If he becomes a force in a Democratic Party, I'm out of here. I have no intention of ever being in the same political party with that guy."
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Carville said that the Democrats will have to decide in the 2028 primary which direction it is headed in, as Piker’s viewpoints become more prevalent within the party.
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"Everyone claims they're the ascendant ring, alright, on the 2028 presidential election, and this can only be resolved at the presidential level. It cannot be resolved at the state level," Carville told Fox News Digital. "And I am sure that there will be robust representation from the DSA ring of the party, whatever you want to call it. I'm sure there'll be a robust number of candidates from what I would call the governing wing of the Democratic Party, but you call it what you want."
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Fox News Digital reached out to the University of Washington and Piker for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Alexander Hall and Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.