Hasan Piker participated in a chant at Cornell University’s Sage Chapel during an event for the “Students Not Bombs” campaign, where attendees chanted "From the river to the sea Palestine will be free," which is viewed as hate speech advocating for Israel's destruction. The 35-year-old joined in by mumbling his part of the response when prompted by the event moderator. This incident occurred on the same day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani for his association with Piker at the United Nations General Assembly. Critics expressed disappointment and outrage over Cornell providing a platform to Piker, who has previously made controversial statements about antisemitism and the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Hasan Piker, a controversial Twitch streamer known for inflammatory comments, faced backlash before speaking at Cornell University on September 24. The event, part of the "Students Not Bombs" campaign, is hosted by Cornell's chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). Critics argue that Piker’s presence reflects growing political polarization on campus. William Jacobson, a clinical professor at Cornell Law School, views the event as part of what he calls a "campaign of intimidation" rather than an isolated incident.
During his appearance, Piker joined in chants calling for Palestinian sovereignty from the river to the sea—a phrase widely perceived as antisemitic and implying Israel's destruction. This chant was repeated multiple times at Sage Chapel with significant audience participation. Despite criticism from groups like Grinspoon Hillel, which labeled Piker’s views "repulsive," the event proceeded with enthusiastic support from attendees, who celebrated Piker’s presence.
Written for “Hasan Piker Controversy Cornell” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
The New Jersey-born socialist provocateur, who sparked fury with his 2019 claims that America deserved 9/11, joined in as most of his audience Sage Chapel at Thursday’s event proudly chanted the call, which is widely seen as hate speech implying the destruction of Israel.
uncertain
which → bear → Israel
It came after Piker called on the audience of the Ivy League institution’s “Students Not Bombs” campaign to “maintain revolutionary optimism, always.”
asserted
Piker → come → optimism
“On that note, if you want to join me in a protest chant,” the event moderator, who had a keffiyeh draped around her, told the audience and her star guest.
asserted
who → want → audience
“From the river to the sea…” the moderator chanted, with the audience loudly responding, “Palestine will be free.”
asserted
Palestine → chant → sea
Piker, 35, raised his microphone to his mouth and was heard mumbling his part of the response,
asserted
Piker → raise → response
The antisemitic slur, which calls for the eradication of Israel, was repeated two more times before a man sitting on the benches led a chant of “Free, free Palestine,” with Piker again raising his mic and mumbling in response.
asserted
Piker → call → response
The streamer was met with loud cheers and treated like a rock star as he left.
asserted
he → meet → star
Piker spoke at the event, which was organized by the university’s Student for Justice in Palestine and Young Democratic Socialists of America movements, on the same day that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shredded New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani at the United Nations General Assembly for his friendship with the streamer.
asserted
Netanyahu → speak → streamer
Footage of the chants prompted critics to label Cornell a “bastion of hate.”
asserted
Footage → prompt → hate
“Pretty disappointed in Cornell for this one,” one horrified viewer said.
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viewer → disappoint → one
“Disgusted that Cornell gave Hasan Piker a platform today,” a graduate said.
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graduate → disgust → platform
“As an alum, I am embarrassed and outraged.
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I → embarrass → alum
Cornell, what are you thinking?
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you → think → what
You can do better.”
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You → do → ?
Others were stunned that the event was held in Sage Chapel, which was the first nonsectarian chapel at a US college when it opened in 1875.
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it → stun → 1875
In the build-up to Piker’s appearance, the university’s Hillel chapter said the influencer’s views “ go against our values as Americans and Jews,” and described his “hateful rhetoric” as “repulsive.”
asserted
views → say → rhetoric
A petition by SAFE Campus, a Jewish advocacy group, urged Cornell, state and federal officials to call off the event.
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petition → urge → event
The petition alluded to Cornell claims that it had taken “a clear and strong stand” against antisemitism following the October 7, 2023, terror attacks.
uncertain
it → allude → attacks
Piker’s appearance came less than a year after the university agreed to pay $60 million in a settlement to the Trump administration to resolve investigations into campus antisemitism.
asserted
university → come → antisemitism
The agreement resulted in around $250 million in federal research funding being unfrozen.
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million → result → funding
Piker justified the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks, saying the massacre that killed roughly 1,200 innocents was a “direct consequence of Israeli actions” and that “it doesn’t matter if f–king rapes happened on Oct. 7.”
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rapes → justify → Oct.
Piker, the nephew of Cenk Uygur, the founder of the Young Turks, has raised eyebrows with his outlandish perspectives on the Middle East.
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Piker → raise → East
Earlier this month, the streamer, who has previously spoken at University of South California and Dartmouth University, wildly claimed that the region “would be more stable” if Iran had nuclear weapons.
“I think Iran, much like any other sovereign nation, has a right to defend itself, regardless of its domestic policies,” he told Axios correspondent Alex Thompson.
asserted
he → speak → Thompson
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