Would the University of Connecticut administration allow a Hasan Piker speaker event on campus? To speak frankly, I don’t know; but the fact that the question is ambiguous is concerning. It is impossible to say for certain, as no event has been announced by Hasan Piker or UConn. Though In my opinion, it would not be surprising if UConn canceled a Piker event.
UConn’s ties to Israel are too strong, and they have, in the past, cracked down on student pro-Palestine action. I believe Hasan Piker is likely too “radical” a figure for UConn to accept, despite widespread youth support for his pro-Palestinian stance.
For those who are unaware, Piker is a Twitch streamer and provocative commentator who rose to internet stardom with his coverage of the 2020 presidential election, though he had been a media personality on The Young Turks since 2013.
Since his rise, Piker has become increasingly involved in politics. He endorsed Democratic socialist and Mayor of New York City Zohran Mamdani in 2025, and since has campaigned with and/or endorsed many democratic hopefuls: Abdul El-Sayed (Mich.), Francesca Hong (Wis.), Claire Valdez (N.Y.), and Conrad Blackburn (N.Y.) to name a few.
Piker is a very outspoken anti-Zionist, extreme anti-fascist and anti-imperialist. Since he started streaming, he has been critical of Israel’s actions and sympathetic to the Palestinian people.
In his media journey, Piker has courted controversy, though it does not rest on his pro-Palestinian socialist stance alone. Famously, in 2019, Piker said, “Americans deserved 9/11,” later clarifying his intended meaning to express the concept of blowback, an established explanation for the tragedy. He apologized the next day and has done so repeatedly since. Incendiary language is expected from a self-described “shock jock” who streams eight hours a day on divisive issues, but it does paint target on his back and jeopardizes his credibility.
Piker was slated to be on the 2026-27 Speaker Series for the University of Washington until its abrupt cancellation. UW attributed its cancellation to scheduling errors. In September, the University of Texas at Austin also canceled an event featuring Piker.
UW and UT Austin are ranked 260th and 124th, respectively, out of 261 universities for upholding free speech by FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. UConn is between the two at the 195th slot.
The trend of universities cancelling Piker’s events isn’t the only reason UConn likely wouldn’t host one. As the genocide in Gaza has progressed, UConn has made no moves to disentangle itself from Israel after years of partnership. In 2022, UConn signed an MOU with the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology based on an agreement first signed in 2012. “It was truly a win-win: a lot of learning, a lot of building relationships,” said President Radenka Maric in reference to the MOU meeting.
In recent years, UConn has not demonstrated care for student protest concerns, prioritizing its favorable international partnerships over student opinion. Twenty-five students protesting UConn and Israel were arrested in 2024, and since then UConn has tightened its anti-protest policies, banning loudspeakers, lights, megaphones and anything that may “obscure public access.”
In 2025, sociology professor Noel A. Cazenave called for the resignation of President Radenka Maric after the Palestinian protests. He says “she spouts ‘love for all’ language” while making sure that pro-Palestine voices are never allowed to propagate.
If UConn has tamped down on pro-Palestine student action, why would they allow a pro-Palestine speaker? To avoid upsetting their ties to Israel, UConn would likely avoid having Piker on campus.
It wouldn’t be new for UConn to cancel an event because of the speaker; in the 2026 spring semester, a speaker was canceled after weeks of student protest. Canceling a protested event doesn’t mean they will cancel a supported one. But it is important to note that student action was needed to cancel the event; you can’t take action to force an event to take place. Students would not get the chance to protest if Piker were shadow banned.
But regardless of Piker, freedom of speech is vital on our campus. We need to allow speakers who are radical or, at the very least, controversial. Student concerns should be listened to; our tuition and taxes keep the school afloat.
I recommend that every student who has a belief should voice it, even if it is “radical” or controversial. Invite speakers who you believe should talk, and if they are canceled, protest and demand that the administration give a solid reason why. As a public university, UConn is obligated to follow the Constitution.
I hope that if a Piker event does happen, the administration will not cancel it, but only time will tell. And one can only be so optimistic.