Sen. Ossoff Condemns Hasan Piker’s Remarks on Violence Against Jews

Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) expressed his strong disapproval of Hasan Piker’s comments, conveyed through a spokesperson on Thursday. Piker had warned that American Jews might face violence due to their support for Israel, and Ossoff characterized those remarks as “reckless and dangerous.” He emphasized that suggesting that advocacy for policy could lead to violence against the Jewish community—or any community—is unacceptable.

Ossoff, who is Georgia’s first Jewish senator, stated that individuals should have the freedom to express their views without fear of repercussions. “All Americans, including Jewish Americans, deserve the security to voice their opinions and engage with their government,” he said.

The controversy arose during a lengthy stream by Piker on August 20, which lasted nearly seven hours. At one point, he displayed a photo of Jeremy Moss, a Michigan state senator, and asserted that if American Jews continue to promote their strong ties to Israel, it could lead to violent actions against them rather than against the Israeli state itself.

Moss, who is Jewish and the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s 11th Congressional District, denied claims made in an audio clip circulating online, which suggested his congressional campaign aimed solely to ensure U.S. support for Israel.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) criticized Piker’s remarks on Monday without directly mentioning him. When asked on CNN about his comments, Jeffries confirmed they referred to the streamer, describing the statements as “dangerous, malicious, and antisemitic” and asserting that they should not be tolerated.

Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) further condemned Piker’s framing on CNN’s Inside Politics, labeling it a “Nazi-like formula” and argued that failing to speak out against such statements is akin to endorsing them. “Silence makes you complicit,” Gottheimer stated.

Piker, in response, attributed the backlash to the pro-Israel lobby, alleging a coordinated effort to silence him. He claimed that criticism from lawmakers resulted from an “AIPAC boss call” and questioned how much AIPAC funding his critics had received. He referred to the reactions as a “coordinated smear campaign.”

Despite the backlash, Piker has been leveraging his platform to support Democratic candidates during this election cycle. For instance, Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed hosted a pool party in Detroit where Piker was present. Interestingly, in his recent comments, Piker praised Ossoff, suggesting he could be a significant presidential candidate.

On the other hand, Republican Senate nominee Mike Collins has stated that Piker’s endorsement may help him position his campaign in Georgia. He framed the race as “America vs. the people who hate it.”