Hasan Piker, who is known for his outspoken political views, claims that he was detained at Chicago’s O’Hare airport after returning from France.
He opened up about the alleged experience in a stream, claiming he was pressed about his views on Trump, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
“They literally, they tried to straight-up get something out of me that I think they could use to basically detain me permanently,” he said.
“He kept saying stuff like, ‘Do you like Hamas?’” Piker added. “I kept repeating the same statement over and over again… I am on the side of civilians. I want the endless bloodshed to end. I am a pacifist.”
Piker said that he saw “no reason to hold back” about his political views, noting how he “yapped away” during the questioning.
“I said, ‘I don’t like Trump. What are you going to do?’ It’s protected by the First Amendment,” he recounted. “[Trump] said he was going to end the wars. He hasn’t ended the wars. What the f**k is up with that?’”
Why Was Hasan Detained?
According to Piker, the purpose of this questioning was to instill fear in the media.
“The reason for why they’re doing that is, I think, to try to create an environment of fear,” he said. “To try to get people like myself, or at least others that would be in my shoes that don’t have that same level of security, to shut the f**k up.”
However, in a statement to NBC, Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said Piker is “lying for likes.”
Claims that his political beliefs triggered the inspection are baseless,” she said. “Our officers are following the law, not agendas. Upon entering the country, this individual was referred for further inspection — a routine, lawful process that occurs daily, and can apply for any traveler. Once his inspection was complete, he was promptly released.”
