A streamer often likened to a progressive counterpart of Joe Rogan has stirred up conversation by declaring a lack of patriotic feelings towards America while strolling through Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
During his visit to the historic site, Hasan Piker was struck by the visible expressions of allegiance to China’s government, which he captured while creating a vlog.
“What fascinates me is witnessing individuals from across the nation journeying here just to behold this place,” he remarked in the video. “That’s truly remarkable.”
Piker expressed, “I don’t hold any specific patriotism in my heart for America, or any nation, really.”
While he emphasized his care for people, Piker admitted he struggles to grasp the fervor directed towards a particular country.
“I was curious to engage with some of the older individuals here,” he continued, noting how many have witnessed a profound transformation since the 1960s or 1970s that is unmatched elsewhere.
‘So for them, I think there’s a lot of pride in that.’
Tiananmen Square is the site of a mass protest in 1989 which led to the deaths of hundreds – if not thousands – of demonstrators railing against the political structure of China at the time.
Hasan Piker was marveling at the display of loyalty to the regime in China as he wandered through the iconic location and filmed a vlog
One extraordinary photo which emerged from the carnage showed a local man who stood firm in the face of the tanks as they rolled into the area
The People’s Liberation Army stormed the Square with tanks. One extraordinary photo which emerged from the carnage showed a local man who stood firm in the face of the tanks as they rolled into the area.
Troops opened fire on protesters, and an official Chinese death toll suggests around 300 people were killed, including 36 university student protesters, and that as many as 3,000 were injured.
But western sources have challenged the official death toll, and suggested thousands of protesters could have died in the conflict.
Piker is one of the most prominent Twitch streamers and has been compared to the likes of Joe Rogan, offering left-leaning political commentary for his three million followers.
He has been described as anti-Trump but ‘hardly a loyal Democrat.’
He has faced backlash for glorifying accused CEO killer Luigi Mangione and his outspoken condemnation of Israel amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
Piker was temporarily banned from the streamer after sensationally noting Republicans would ‘kill’ Florida Sen. Rick Scott if they truly cared about government fraud.
‘I was not calling for the assassination of a US senator,’ Piker later clarified.
Piker said while he ‘cares about people,’ he finds it ‘hard to comprehend’ the passion for a nation in particular. Pictured: Pro-Trump demonstrators
Piker was astounded at the loyalty displayed by Chinese people who had traveled to view the square (pictured during a pro-democracy rally in May, 1989, ahead of the June tragedy)
While born in New Jersey, Piker was raised in Turkey. He returned to the United States to attend college, and owns a $2.7million home in California
He said that his words were a hyperbolic expression of frustration at what he sees as Republican hypocrisy in handling government fraud.
While born in New Brunswick in New Jersey, Piker later moved with his family back to Turkey. He returned to the United States to attend college at the age of 18, and now owns a $2.7 million home in California.
During his recent livestream, he was visiting Tiananmen Square for ‘the daily sunset flag-raising ceremony in front of Tiananmen Gate and the portrait of Chinese Communist Party founder Mao Zedong,’ Newsweek reported.
He was approached by Chinese police who demanded he stop filming.
‘He wants to see the photo,’ a translator told Piker after briefly speaking with the officer.
Piker’s companion, fellow Twitch streamer Will Neff, explained that they hadn’t taken any photos.
‘He said he saw you,’ the translator said, to which Neff explained he was ‘just holding the camera but didn’t do anything yet.’
