Hasan Piker's Presence at Zohran Mamdani's NYC Rally Sparks Renewed Backlash 

Video footage circulating on X (formerly Twitter) shows far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, infamous for his 2019 remark that "America deserved 9/11," seated prominently in the front row at Democratic NYC mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani's high-profile rally on October 26 at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens. The event, dubbed "NYC Is Not For Sale," drew thousands and featured speeches from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, marking the kickoff of early voting for the November 4 election. Piker's appearance has reignited criticism of Mamdani's associations, with rivals like Andrew Cuomo labeling it "insulting to all New Yorkers" and accusing the assemblyman of inconsistent distancing from the streamer's inflammatory rhetoric.

The clip shows Piker wearing a casual jacket and chatting with attendees—amid a crowd of supporters waving signs for Mamdani's progressive platform on housing, policing, and foreign policy.

Piker, 33, a nephew of CNN's Cenk Uygur and host of "The HasanAbi Show" with over 3 million Twitch followers, made the 9/11 comment during a stream discussing U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He later called it "inappropriate" and satirical, but it led to a temporary Twitch ban and enduring backlash from 9/11 families and critics. Piker has faced additional accusations of antisemitism, including dismissing reports of sexual violence on October 7, 2023, as irrelevant and using slurs against Orthodox Jews and Zionists.

Mamdani interviewed with Piker in April 2025 during his primary campaign, drawing scrutiny for not immediately condemning the remarks. Pressure mounted from 9/11 responders like EMT Sal Turturici, who in September urged Mamdani to "disavow Hasan Piker and his hateful words," calling the association "disgraceful." Mamdani's campaign initially defended the appearance as outreach to young voters, arguing Democrats must engage diverse voices.

At the October 16 debate with Cuomo (independent) and Curtis Sliwa (Republican), Cuomo pressed: "The assemblyman will not denounce... Hasan Piker, who said America deserved 9/11." Mamdani responded by rejecting the comments outright but stood by the interview: "I find the comments that Hasan made on 9/11 to be objectionable and reprehensible... Democrats are in the situation... because we only speak to those we agree with on every single thing." He did not address Piker's broader antisemitic rhetoric.

The October 26 rally, attended by an estimated 5,000, focused on affordability and anti-corruption themes. Attendees took selfies with Piker, described by one X user (@kaitelouwhoo) as "hanging out" with fellow streamer Stavros Halkias. Cuomo, speaking to NY1 on October 27, blasted the invitation (or mere attendance) as tone-deaf: "Hasan Piker was invited to the Zohran Mamdani rally yesterday... I think that is insulting to all New Yorkers."

Jewish Insider reported Mamdani's post-debate disavowal as a shift after "several months" of reluctance, but critics like the Persian Jewess called Piker's front-row seat proof of insincerity: "Hasan Piker, the scumbag who said ‘America deserved 9/11,’ was in the front row... mentioning Zohran Mamdani is a pro-Radical Islamist... is ‘Islamophobic.’" 9/11 families, including those from Cantor Fitzgerald victims, have echoed outrage, with Terry Strada labeling Mamdani a "despicable liar" over separate 9/11 storytelling issues.

Piker reacted lightly on stream to Cuomo's debate attacks, joking he "caught a wild stray," but has not commented on the rally footage. Mamdani's team has not responded to requests for clarification on Piker's role, though a spokesperson previously noted the streamer's support for Mamdani's platform without endorsing his past statements.

As the race tightens—Cuomo at 24-40%, Sliwa at 12-25%—this could alienate moderates and Jewish voters amid Mamdani's vocal anti-Israel stances, including BDS advocacy and "globalize the intifada" chants at events.

The full rally video is available on Mamdani's YouTube channel; for debate clips, see NY1 archives.