Political Influencer Piker Challenges UT Free Speech Policy and Security Protocols

By Vikram Sundaram

Reporting Texas

 

Twitch streamer and left-wing pundit Hasan Piker called the University of Texas hypocritical in its policing of left-wing speech in his remarks to UT students Wednesday at the William C Powers Jr. Auditorium, his first major public appearance on a southern college campus.

“You can’t have an opinion outside of the permission structure.” Piker told the crowd, which UT officials counted as 301 people inside the 466-seat auditorium. 

The speech came after a month of condemnations against the University Democrats by officials such as Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz for inviting Piker to campus, largely over Piker’s criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Earlier this month, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, criticized Piker’s first major public appearance, saying “Jewish students at UT should not be made to feel targeted or unsafe on their own campus.”

Piker argued that the university considered his “quite rational, quite reasonable, quiet peaceful commentary to be radical.”

He characterized his arrival on UT’s campus as a defiant response to right-wing pushback and as critical to paving the way for left-wing and Democratic voices to have a platform to speak.

“‘Even though there was so much pressure … I’m glad you guys braved it,” he told the audience. 

He expressed disappointment at the lack of institutional protection UT was providing for the University Democrats, such as vocal support for his right to speak or condemnations of death threats.

A day before the event, Miguel Wasielewski, UT’s vice president for student experience, sent an email to students reiterating university rules related to free speech and expression. University officials themselves declined to comment on any security-related concerns directly.

Security for the event itself was exhaustive in its coverage of the auditorium and its surroundings. In the hours before the event, campus police and contractor Allied Universal conducted full bomb sweeps using dogs. They also set up barricades and metal detectors covering the single points of entry and exit.

“I’m used to receiving a lot of death threats, but this was definitely exceptional,” Piker told Reporting Texas. 

Piker’s appearance came a year after right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk — whom Piker had debated on many occasions — was assassinated during a similar campus event in Utah. One hour prior to the start, University Democrats president Adit Raha escalated warnings of an assassination attempt he found on the app Telegram and said UTPD had looked into it.

Standing in the vicinity of protests near the building, UT President Jim Davis declined to comment on Piker or his appearance on campus. But he told Reporting Texas that he was glad students were exercising their First Amendment rights. 

Protesters included organizations like the Austin Young Republicans and fans of rival Twitch streamer and Austin-resident Destiny. Their signs called out Piker’s left-wing views and made references to allegations that he used a shock collar on his dog Kaya. One student inside the venue, Rowen Hamilton, even wore a dog costume in reference to the incident.

Inside the auditorium, attendees mostly expressed support for Piker. 

Abby Bruns, a government major and fan of Piker attending the event, acknowledged Piker’s controversial past but said she didn’t think his comments met the threshold for a ban from campus. 

“I think it’s crazy they were trying to stop him,” Bruns said.

Another attendee, social work student Mateo Vallejo, who waited two hours outside for a chance to sit in the front also expressed admiration for Piker. 

“For such an important political time in Texas, it’s great to have him here,” he said.

Some students who disagreed with his views or were critical of his actions said they were simply there to hear Piker out. 

Charlie Cohen, a Jewish honors student majoring in civics, characterized Piker as anti-Semetic and anti-American. He said Piker’s statements have drawn negative press about the Jewish people. Still, Cohen believes Piker should be allowed to speak on campus. 

“The moment you stop letting freedom of speech happen, that is when society breaks down,” Cohen said.

Plans to bring Piker to campus started two years ago and involved months of intense discussion with the streamer’s team, University Democrats officers and UT officials.

“The administration has to sign off on everything,” Raha said. 

The group was required to specify that it, not the University of Texas, was hosting the speaker, he said. 

Jose Perez-Cabarcas, the organization’s communications director, says restrictions became apparent with the passing of the Campus Protection Act, or Senate Bill 2972. The Texas Legislature approved the new limits on free speech and public participation on Texas college campuses in response to protests over the war in Gaza in spring 2024.

“There used to be right-wing protests on West Mall all the time,” said Perez-Cabarcas. “People could just come on campus.”

The University Democrats were required to pay $20,000 to cover security costs for the Piker event. The group had briefly considered off-campus venues like the Long Center, which quoted a price of $38,000 before declining to host the event.

It was the second time this year that university security demands threatened to derail a campus speech event. The inaugural KUT Festival was forced to find new venues for many of its events May 1-2 after the university raised security concerns in the weeks before the festival. UT fired the station’s general manager, Debbie HIott, a month later after she spoke out about the university’s handling of the festival. 

Hiott told Reporting Texas that the university’s concerns — such as drone use and the risk of fire alarms being pulled — were “kind of fabricated.” She also said the university expressed concerns about the 5,000 attendees in the event of inclement weather but did not provide an alternate location despite assigning someone to help with venue selection.

The University Democrats said they received similar recommendations from the UT Police Department. Raha said asked for alternative locations on campus he received no response or was told that larger venues were not available on the day.

Piker casually pushed back at accusations of being anti-American during his opening comments. 

“If I was this radical America hater, if I wanted our enemies to win. … I’d probably be a massive Trump supporter,” he said, arguing that the United States’ real enemies are those in support of the current administration. “I’m sick and tired of all our output going to waging unnecessary wars all around the world.” 

Later during a question-and-answer session, Piker shared his thoughts on Texas politics, specifically Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico. 

“I think he’s the right guy to do it. I think he’s going to be able to win,” he said.

He warned, however, that victory for Talarico did not mean victory for Texans.

“We’ve got to make sure that he doesn’t become another do-nothing Democrat, ” he said. “Job’s not done, even after he wins.” 

As Piker left the stage and awaited his UTPD escort off campus, he praised the burden and challenge that the University Democrats undertook to bring him to campus.

“It was very brave of them to do so, and I think the reason why they were doing it is so that it’s easier the next time there’s an event like this,” he said, speaking exclusively with Reporting Texas.

Additional reporting by Jackson Bauer of Reporting Texas.