Streamer Hasan Piker Sparks Fury after Mocking Injured ICE Agents at Ilhan Omar Event in Minneapolis
Leftist streamer Hasan Piker has come under fierce criticism after mocking injured Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at a campaign event with Representative Ilhan Omar in Minneapolis, United States. At the event held on Monday night, he raised the subject of agents injured during Operation Metro Surge.
Recalling the protests in Minnesota against the Trump administration's federal immigration crackdown, Piker said agents must be 'extra racist' to be out in frigid winter temperatures. Mocking one injured agent with the words 'Officer Martinez down,' he mentioned 'funny compilations' of the injured and broken hip bones as the crowd laughed.
The sold-out Minneapolis event was hosted by democratic socialist and former Minneapolis mayoral candidate Omar Fateh, who lost that election. Piker has recently joined the campaigns of several prominent Democrats and has become known as a polarising figure within the party.
Representative Angie Craig and Senator Amy Klobuchar publicly condemned Piker. Other Minnesota Democrats had called for the event to be cancelled. Voters are preparing to vote ahead of next week's midterm elections. Omar's campaign backed her decision to attend in order to mobilise young voters.
Piker told Omar Fateh that he was inspired by the solidarity and mutual aid he saw after thousands of ICE and Border Patrol agents were deployed to Minnesota. The protests saw multiple arrests, objects and fireworks thrown at law enforcement, and the disruption of a church service. Two US citizens, Renée Good and Alex Pretti, were killed during interactions with federal law enforcement.
At the event, Piker called Republicans 'terrorists.' Omar referred to the party as the 'pedophile protection party.'
Conservatives quickly condemned Piker's comments on social media. Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of the Charlie Kirk Show, wrote on X that when Piker was asked what he remembered from Operation Metro Surge, he spoke of 'funny compilations' of federal agents being injured. Kolvet said this was not comedy. Loomer Unleashed wrote, 'Hasan and his elected Democrats are sick.' Crucible Updates, conservative media personality Gina Milan, and Loud Majority Live host Kevin Smith also criticised him.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said in a statement that vilifying ICE agents who risk their lives every day to enforce the law is contributing to an increase of more than 1,600 percent in assaults against them. The spokesperson said agents do not target individuals based on skin colour and take required steps to determine immigration status and removability before making an arrest. The spokesperson called on politicians and activists to turn the temperature down and tone down their rhetoric.
Omar herself is also embroiled in controversy. Earlier this month, Homeland Security Investigations agents searched her Washington, DC home, and a federal court filing identified the congresswoman as 'Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, aka Ilhan Abdullahi Omar.'
In the upcoming midterm elections for Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, Omar is running against former state trooper John Nagel and independent candidate DeVelle Jackson. Piker and Omar were contacted for comment on the matter.
