Conservative commentator Scott Jennings recently labeled Hasan Piker a “radical socialist” and highlighted a video clip that made it seem as though the streamer was discussing lynchings of Black Americans.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: A narrative has been making the rounds on social media suggesting that political commentator and streamer Hasan Piker advocated for the lynching of Black individuals in the United States.
This allegation was amplified by conservative figure Scott Jennings, sparking immediate backlash against Piker and triggering a closer look at the facts.
Claim: Hasan Piker advocated for the lynching of Black Americans
The accusation was brought to light via a video posted on X by Jennings. In the clip, he states, “On top of these candidates, in their own words, their surrogates are just as bad, even worse, actually.”
“We continue today our exploration of the radical socialist streamer Hasan Piker. Now he’s Abdul El-Sayed’s best friend, and he campaigns for him all the time.”
“And African Americans out there within the sound of my voice need to listen up. And you must listen carefully; this is who socialist like Abdul El-Sayed choose to keep for company. Just listen to this.”
The shared footage cuts to Piker speaking: “Back to a better time when lynchings were happening. This is what I like as a Black man. Are you always doing too much with Black people?”
“Leave them alone. I want to go back to lynching. Like, I get it, but relax, man. Shut the fuck up, OK? You got me, OK? You got me because I’m a racist person.”
Fact Check: Piker was actually reading viewer comments aloud
Ultimately, the claim is entirely false. The widely circulated video was heavily edited to strip away context, making it seem as though Piker was expressing his own views when he was actually quoting someone else.
During his broadcast, Piker was reading out and condemning racist remarks that popped up in his live chat. Jennings’ edited version inverted the meaning, presenting Piker’s rebukes as if they were his personal opinions.
Piker addressed the misrepresentation directly in an August 13 YouTube video titled “I think it’s time to sue,” where he reiterated that he was criticizing the racist statements, not endorsing them.
Controversial 9/11 comment linked back to Piker
This controversy follows an older incident from 2019, when Piker asserted that America “deserved” the 9/11 attacks—a statement that has occasionally been mistakenly attributed to Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
While fact-checkers have debunked the notion that El-Sayed made the remark himself, the candidate has continued to face political fallout for initially hesitating to denounce the streamer’s controversial comments.
El-Sayed later characterized the 2019 remark as “dumb,” representing a shift in tone as both Republican and Democratic critics continue to scrutinize his ties to Piker.