Hasan Piker Banned from Twitch Over 'Rabid Ultra-Zionist Pigs' Rant

Popular leftist political streamer Hasan Piker, known online as HasanAbi, has been suspended from Twitch for the seventh time following inflammatory comments made during a January 29 livestream. The seven-day ban stems from Piker's use of the phrase "rabid ultra-Zionist pigs" while criticizing defenders of alleged U.S. government watchlists targeting pro-Palestinian and anti-ICE activists.

During a "Just Chatting" segment on his Twitch channel, which boasts over 2.7 million followers, Piker reacted to a report by independent journalist Ken Klippenstein. The article, published on January 28, revealed that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) maintains over a dozen secret watchlists monitoring domestic protesters, including those opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and supporting Palestinian causes.

Klippenstein's piece highlighted the case of Alex Pretti, a 26-year-old nurse and anti-ICE activist who was fatally shot by ICE agents during a raid in Utah on January 27, 2026. Pretti, who had no criminal record, was reportedly on one such list due to his involvement in protests.

Piker connected these watchlists to broader U.S. support for Israel, accusing critics of hypocrisy and tying the surveillance tactics to pro-Israel influences. In a heated rant, he stated: "This is another big suck my dck to all the fcking Israel dck riders out there. You fcking rabid ultra-Zionist pigs. You run around going 'Why are you tying this back to Palestine?' Because this is precisely the same sh*t. You Israel-first monsters."

Moments later, Twitch suspended his channel without prior warning, citing violations of its updated Hateful Conduct policy.

Twitch's policy, revised in December 2025 amid rising online tensions over the Israel-Hamas conflict, explicitly prohibits using "Zionist" as a pejorative to demean individuals based on their background or religious beliefs. However, it allows the term in neutral political contexts, such as discussions of Zionism as a movement.

Piker's phrasing, combining "Zionist" with "rabid pigs" and other insults, was deemed hateful by the platform, leading to the ban.

Piker, who has Turkish heritage and often critiques U.S. foreign policy, responded on X (formerly Twitter), calling the ban "selective enforcement" and pointing out that phrases like "Nazi pig" are not similarly penalized. He argued: "You’ll get banned over frivolous rules that ADL will establish ahead of time. Surely this’ll make ppl love Israel!" He further linked the ban to broader censorship pressures, referencing the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) behind-the-scenes efforts to deplatform critics of Israel.

This marks Piker's seventh Twitch suspension since 2018, with prior bans stemming from issues like using slurs, promoting violence, and other policy violations.

Notable past incidents include:A 2021 ban for using the term "cracker" as a racial slur against white people.

Suspensions in 2023 and 2024 for comments on U.S. politics and foreign policy.

Accusations of antisemitism, including a 2023 remark calling a Jewish critic a "bloodthirsty pig dog," which drew condemnation from U.S. Congressman Ritchie Torres.

Piker has been a vocal critic of Israel since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, describing them as "resistance" while downplaying reports of atrocities like mass rape.

He has also made statements like "America deserved 9/11" and blamed Israel for the October 7 events, leading to labels of him as an "antisemite" and supporter of groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

Torres and many others have urged Twitch and Amazon (Twitch's parent company) to permanently ban him, citing his platform's role in amplifying "antisemitic and anti-American propaganda."

Piker is closely associated with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a fellow critic of Israel, and has hosted progressive figures like Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on his streams. He has also said that "Zionists should be treated as neo-Nazis" and shouldn't hold public office.

Other allegations against him include animal abuse.

Streamer Adin Ross celebrated the ban live, while far-right commentator Nick Fuentes mocked Piker and suggested extreme measures against him. X influencer Mario Nawfal criticized censorship while disavowing Piker's views, warning it could backfire. Jewish advocacy groups and conservatives hailed it as a step against hate speech, with some calling for a permanent removal.

Piker, who earns millions from streaming, is expected to return on February 5, 2026, and has shifted content to YouTube in the interim.