Hasan Piker (C) attend the Creator Conflict 2 Boxing Charity Gala at Floridan Palace Resort on April 16, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. FILE PHOTO/Agence France-Presse
WASHINGTON — A high-profile left-wing influencer and political commentator stated Monday he was detained for hours by US border officers and interrogated about his political opinions.
US citizen Hasan Piker — who has hundreds of thousands of followers on YouTube, Twitch and X, and been outspoken in his criticism of Israel — says he was held at Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport for over two hours on Sunday.
He spoke out because the administration of President Donald Trump is dealing with rising criticism over claims of punitive motion taken by federal brokers towards US residents and authorized residents for merely voicing progressive opinions.
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Pike stated his exchanges with officers had been largely cordial however an officer requested his views on Trump and whether or not he has been involved with militant teams Hamas and Hezbollah.
“He’s like, ‘Do you discuss Trump?’ And that was the primary time the place I used to be like, ‘What is that this query?’” Piker stated on a video posted to his YouTube account.
“I actually straight up advised him. I used to be like, ‘Why are you asking me this… what does this must do with something?’”
Piker says he advised the official: “I don’t like Trump. Like, what are you going to do? It’s protected by the First Modification.”
The Turkish-American 33-year-old was born in New Jersey, and has hosted US Senator Bernie Sanders and Consultant Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on his platform up to now.
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Division of Homeland Safety official Tricia McLaughlin responded Monday denying that Piker’s political opinions triggered the secondary screening, in keeping with media reviews.
“Upon coming into the nation, this particular person was referred for additional inspection — a routine, lawful course of that happens each day, and may apply for any traveler. As soon as his inspection was full, he was promptly launched,” McLaughlin advised US media.
Piker maintains that his on-line content material has by no means damaged the legislation and solely engaged in speech protected by the US Structure.
“The rationale for why they’re doing that’s, I believe, to attempt to create an setting of concern, to attempt to get folks like myself — or at the least like others that might be in my sneakers that don’t have that very same degree of safety — to close… up,” he added.
Advocacy group Defending Rights & Dissent stated it was “deeply disturbed” by the notion of border officers stopping political commentators to interrogate them about constitutionally-protected speech.
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“Such an abuse of energy is an affront to press freedom,” it stated.
