Twitch streamer Hasan Piker detained at the border and questioned for hours over politics
www.usermag.co
"They straight up tried to get something out of me that I think they could use to basically detain me permanently"

Hasan Piker, the biggest progressive political streamer in America, was detained by Customs and Border Protection for hours of questioning upon returning to the U.S. from a trip to France this weekend. Piker posted about the incident on X and later talked about it on stream.

He was detained in Chiago and questioned for two hours about protected journalistic activities like who he’s interviewed and his political beliefs. He was asked whether or not he’d interviewed Hamas, Houthis, or Hezbollah members. He was questioned about his opinions on Trump and Israel and asked about his history of bans on Twitch. His phone and laptop were not confiscated.

  • sqgl@beehaw.org
    12·
    8 hours ago

    Going out of his way to declare “No issue with Hezbollah” is the equivalent of support for terrorism IMO.

    They started the whole suicide bombing thing with their killing of American soldiers in Lebanon. This went against Islam, but was given the green light by Ayatollah Khomeni and was weaponised by Assad.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr7T07WfIhM&amp%3Bt=32m32s

    I Imagine you would not be defending someone if they were going around saying they have “no issue with pedos”.

    • Deceptichum@quokk.auMEnglish
      2·
      8 hours ago

      I don’t view it any differently to someone saying they have “no issue with America”. America has done unimaginable crimes against humanity, far worse than Hezbollah, but I suspect you give them more leeway; That’s the real hypernormalisation.

      • sqgl@beehaw.org
        12·
        8 hours ago

        Hezbollah have only one reason for existing: terrorism.

        USA is guilty of its own terrorism but that is not the reason for its existence.

        That documentary doesn’t give anyone a free pass. If you have not heard of Adam Curtis, you are in for a treat.

        • Deceptichum@quokk.auMEnglish
          2·
          7 hours ago

          Hezbollah’s 1985 manifesto outlined its key objectives, which include expelling Western influence from the region, destroying Israel, pledging allegiance to Iran’s supreme leader, and establishing an Islamic government influenced by Iran’s political ideology. However, the manifesto also emphasized Lebanese self-determination.

          […]

          In 2009, Hezbollah updated their manifesto to oppose political sectarianism, appeal to non-Islamic movements, and promote a national unity government. The updated manifesto has the same basic approach to foreign policy, emphasizing the hegemonic strategies of the US and Israel’s role in the region as a forward base for colonizing the region.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollah

          That’s a cartoon level of motivation, to say that they only exist to terrorise is clearly not the case.

          Or is Wikipedia promoting terrorism?

          • sqgl@beehaw.org
            11·
            6 hours ago

            Each of those goals are pursued by means of terrorism.

            There were people pursuing those goals before Hezbollah existed. AFAIK they merely added the tool of terrorism.

            Am not an expert in this field. If someone is and can take us deeper I would appreciate it.