CNN recently aired a segment featuring Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt who singled out political commentator Hasan Piker as an example of problematic online speech. During the interview, Greenblatt mistakenly referred to Piker as a “gamer” while accusing him of employing “awful genocidal rhetoric against Jewish people and the Jewish state.”
Greenblatt specifically mentioned Piker’s recent New York Times profile, criticizing the publication for what he called a “gauzy profile” of someone he considers an extremist. “Extremists should not be empowered. People who spout prejudice should not be platformed,” Greenblatt told CNN.
The head of the ADL directly blames @hasanthehun for the DC shooting. The full force of the US government is about to come down on him. When these things happen politicians look for a scapegoat to show that they’re doing something. Hasan will be the guy
— Observer (@CharlieSheenGO) May 22, 2025
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The accusations come amid ongoing tensions surrounding Piker’s coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Critics have taken issue with his commentary on recent events, including a high-profile Jewish murder case where Piker read portions of the killer’s manifesto on-air. Some have also raised concerns about his statements regarding groups internationally designated as terrorist organizations.
Piker, who began his career at The Young Turks before becoming one of Twitch’s top political commentators, has built his brand on left-wing commentary and analysis of current events. His streams rarely focus on gaming, making the “gamer” label particularly inaccurate.
In response to accusations that his rhetoric contributed to a recent shooting of two Jewish individuals in DC, Hasan Piker forcefully denied any anti-Semitic intent, condemning the violence while criticizing what he sees as a deliberate conflation of anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism.
israel is an apartheid state doing a live-streamed genocide. i think it’s wrong and dangerous to conflate these heinous actions w jews. the apartheid defense league doesn’t because they think they can improve israel’s standing by silencing its critics. it won’t change the truth. https://t.co/9hTyDmSkxn
— hasanabi (@hasanthehun) May 22, 2025
He argued that labeling criticism of Israel as hate speech silences legitimate dissent and distracts from the real surge in anti-Semitism. Piker also accused organizations like the ADL of weaponizing these tragedies for political suppression, suggesting their efforts to deplatform him are more about shielding Israeli policy than protecting Jewish people.
