Major university axes Hasan Pikers lecture and vows to tighten standards

A University of Washington lecture featuring progressive Twitch commentator Hasan Piker is off, with school officials citing a flawed planning process as the reason for the cancellation.Piker, a far-left streamer and YouTube personality, was set to appear in January as part of the school’s 2026-27 Speaker Series, the university said in a statement.However, following “a review of the process by which the event was planned,” the university canceled the event.“It was determined that the process for organizing this event did not meet the necessary level of rigor for University-hosted events in the Speaker Series,” the statement said.“Going forward, procedures will be updated to ensure the standards we have for University-hosted events like the Speaker Series are met, particularly so that we can help elevate the level of dialogue on divisive topics during a polarized time in our country,” it added.The university’s cancellation of Piker, who previously said America “deserved 9/11” before later calling the remark “inappropriate,” has prompted criticism from First Amendment advocates, with the nonprofit civil liberties group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) condemning the move.“If the decision was based on process — and not public backlash or criticism — @UW should be transparent about what standards were not met and how they were applied,” the organization said in an X post.“Public universities can set standards for events.But they can’t use those standards as cover for canceling a speaker because of their views,” it added.Andrew Kolvet, the executive producer of the Charlie Kirk Show and a Turning Point USA spokesperson, said on X: “Let the radical Mao loving communist Hasan Piker speak, so long as he can resist the urge to call for the death of his political opponents.

Universities do this to TPUSA often and blame some admin error etc.It’s wrong.” Piker, a socialist, rose to fame following a ser...