University of Washington CANCELS Hasan Piker speaking event, claims it ‘did not meet’ necessary ‘rigor’

In a statement, the school said "The University of Washington is dedicated to the free exchange of ideas, including on controversial topics and involving provocative speakers.

"After Hasan Piker was announced as speaker for the 2026-27 Speaker Series, there was a review of the process by which the event was planned. 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. As a result, this event will not be held."

The University went on to say that "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."

Piker blamed Democrats, Israel, and Jewish organizations after the cancelation. Piker has been campaigning alongside Democrat candidates such as Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other high-profile Democrats have embraced Piker as one of their own.

https://twitter.com/thehoffather/status/2085048701752619022?s=20

Piker, who notoriously said “America deserved 9/11,” responded hours after the cancelation on his livestream, alleging that UW had been inundated with “a barrage of botted emails,” suggesting university officials received pressure from above, and accusing Democrats of embracing censorship “at the behest and the direction of Israel.”

https://twitter.com/thehoffather/status/2085897515891929499?s=20

Piker revealed that professor Daniel Bessner invited him to speak. "I was like, 'sure, I’ll do it,'" he said. Bessner is the Anne H.H. and Kenneth B. Pyle Associate Professor in American Foreign Policy at UW’s Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, one of the university units sponsoring Piker’s appearance. Bessner also served as a foreign policy adviser to Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign.

Piker said UW “got inundated with a barrage of botted emails,” Piker said. “And then also they probably got a boss call, let’s be real.” He did not offer evidence, but said of UW, “Instead of abiding by the principle of free expression on college campuses, they chose to do this.”

He called on Democrats to defend his right to speak. Piker said Democrats were "leaning into censorship once again at the behest and the direction of Israel.”

Piker connected his cancellation to efforts by Jewish organizations and lawmakers claiming institutions of higher education “did not learn the lessons from the post-October 7 pressure campaigns that they experienced.”

Piker also referenced reporting from JNS in which a Washington state lawmaker said that multiple state legislators and organizations, including Jewish groups, had pressed UW to drop the event.

Piker accused Democrats of failing to speak out against his UW cancellation, contrasting the reaction to controversies involving conservative campus speakers. “If this had happened to Charlie Kirk, or if this had happened to Ben Shapiro, this would be the number one news story on Fox News for a month,” Piker said.

He urged Democratic political consultants to make his cancellation an issue. “You don’t have to like everything I say. You don’t have to agree with everything I say,” Piker said. “Use this as an opportunity to show the Americans who do care about free speech that the Republicans are the real party that has destroyed free speech in this country and actively seek to do so.”

Free speech advocates from the conservative side of the spectrum were the ones to speak up for his right to speak. TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, who Piker also referenced, was murdered during a speaking event at Utah Valley University nearly one year ago.

TPUSA's Andrew Kolvet defended Piker's right to speak, saying "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. Let him speak. Let conservatives speak. Peacefully."

https://twitter.com/AndrewKolvet/status/2085885841218646172?s=20

Mike Cernovich said "Don't make me effin have to defend Hasan Piker. This is cut and dry stuff. It's a public campus. He has to be able to speak."

https://twitter.com/Cernovich/status/2085860594608218248?s=20

David Marcus said "Piker has the same right to speak. It’s not the conservatives or Zionists trying to silence him. It’s terrified liberal academics."

https://twitter.com/BlueBoxDave/status/2085881763012776359?s=20

"Let the man speak! Upholding free speech values are most essential when we don't agree," Libby Emmons posted.

https://twitter.com/libbyemmons/status/2085892115205104122?s=20

Before reversing course, UW told The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI that the Office of Public Lectures independently selected speakers and that executive university leadership did not provide input into the selection process. UW also said Piker would receive a “nominal honorarium and travel reimbursement” funded through Office of Public Lectures endowments rather than state funds.