London festival invites speaker who said he would 'vote for Hamas over Israel' and 'US deserved 9/11'

A London festival has invited a controversial commentator to appear at the event despite saying he would "vote for Hamas over Israel" and that the "US deserved 9/11".

Hasan Piker is listed among the speakers at “How the American Left Learned to Speak the Internet” at London SXSW in early June.

Mr Piker has faced a backlash over some of his comments, including reportedly saying on a livestream in 2019 that “America deserved 9/11”, which he later acknowledged as “inappropriate”.

He said last month he stood by comments that Hamas was “1,000 times better” than Israel, and that he “would vote for Hamas over Israel every single time” in an episode of Pod Save America.

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He insisted he is not antisemitic, but “anti-Israel”, in an interview with Variety last year.

One Labour MP has called for the US live-streamer, who has more than three million followers on Twitch and over 1.5 million on X, to be blocked from entering the UK to speak at the festival.

Hemel Hempstead MP David Taylor said Mr Piker was “not conducive to the public good”, and urged the Home Office to revoke his visa.

He said: “It’s shocking that SXSW would invite someone who has openly supported a proscribed terrorist organisation and spouted these kinds of vile antisemitic rants to speak at their festival.

“With the unacceptable rise in antisemitism on our streets leaving British Jews in a constant state of anxiety, Hasan Piker is clearly not conducive to the public good.

“The Home Office must revoke his visa immediately.”

The Jewish community group Community Security Trust urged organisers to “act responsibly”, and not allow the UK to be a “platform” for Mr Piker.

A spokesman said: “Hasan Piker has a record of promoting rhetoric that includes antisemitic themes, denial of well documented atrocities and apparent support for extremist groups.

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“This is entirely unacceptable, particularly given his large online following.

“At a time of record levels of antisemitism in the UK, it is vital that all institutions, including event organisers, act responsibly and consider the potential impact of this kind of rhetoric.

“The UK should not be a platform for individuals who spread hatred or legitimise extremism.”

Meanwhile, the festival describes him as “redefining what political commentary looks like in the digital age” and says his live streams reach more than 30,000 people every day.

A spokesman for the event told the Times the festival brings together “a wide range of speakers with different associations, affiliations and perspectives” and that “inclusion in the programme does not imply endorsement of all organisations with whom a speaker may be directly or indirectly affiliated”.

It added: “SXSW London is built as a platform for open exchange across culture, business, creativity and technology, guided by our ethical framework and code of conduct.”

Other speakers due at SXSW London include relationship therapist Esther Perel, Chelsea Clinton and Ant & Dec.

The call to block Mr Piker’s visa comes after Kanye West, who has engaged with Nazi imagery and faced accusations of antisemitism, was barred from travelling to the UK to headline Wireless festival.

The Government also blocked 11 foreign nationals described by Sir Keir Starmer as “far-right agitators” from entering the UK ahead of a Tommy Robinson-led rally in central London earlier this month.

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