Hasan Piker speaks with Rep. Omar, state Sen. Omar Fateh in Minneapolis after criticism over visit
Controversial left-wing commentator Hasan Piker sat down for a conversation with Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and Minnesota state Sen. Omar Fateh in Minneapolis on Monday, following days of questions and concerns surrounding his visit.
The three spoke at the Theatre in the Round for over 20 minutes about Rep. Omar's start in politics and why Minnesota politics has been in the national spotlight multiple times over the past six-plus years.
"Honestly, it's going to come across as oversimplified, but I think it's jealousy," Piker said regarding the latter topic.
He later added during the conversation, which was streamed on Twitch, that Minneapolis' politics have "moved in a positive direction year-over-year," but that there is still room to grow. Piker also commented on Operation Metro Surge, saying that Minnesotans were in "solidarity" during the federal immigration enforcement operation.
"Minnesota does not come after their refugees; they send one to Congress," Rep. Omar, a refugee from Somalia, said while encouraging people who attended the event to go out and vote.
The event, called "I'm the Host Now!" was hosted by Fateh, who spoke in front of the audience with Piker for around 50 minutes after Rep. Omar left.
Piker is an online streamer whose videos get hundreds of thousands of views and whose platforms have amassed millions of followers. He's previously made comments like "America deserved 9/11"---a remark for which he later apologized—and that Hamas is "1,000 times better" than Israel.
DFL U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, who unsuccessfully ran for the DFL nomination for U.S. Senate, called Piker's words "polarizing and dangerous and embracing him as a party is a mistake."
The American Jewish Committee said in a social media post on X that Piker "should not be platformed."
Minnesota House Speaker and Republican nominee for governor Lisa Demuth said in a written statement about the event that Democratic leaders "invited a vile anti-American left-wing radical to Minnesota." A spokesperson for Demuth's opponent in the governor's race, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, said Klobuchar believes "a number of his comments are reckless."
State Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, said in a written statement, in part, "While I applaud the recent handful of Democrat office holders that have spoken out against Piker and his socialist, antisemitic rhetoric, the DFL partisan reaction is woefully inadequate with too many DFL 'leaders' remaining silent."
Rep. Omar is seeking reelection in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Her opponent is Republican John Nagel, a former state trooper.
