Pro-Gaza streamer says he was detained at US airport
Getty ImagesPopular streamer Hasan Piker claims he was detained for hours by US airport officials over his political views.
The influencer, who has more than six million followers across Twitch, Instagram, TikTok and X, says he was held when he returned to Chicago from France.
Mr Piker, who is known for his pro-Gaza stance and criticism of Donald Trump, says he was quizzed on his views about the Middle East and the president and accused the US government attempting to silence opposition voices with intimidation.
Officials rejected suggestions Mr Piker had been targeted over his beliefs during the "routine and lawful" inspection.
'Not a very warm welcome'
Mr Piker first posted on Sunday, telling followers he had been stopped by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
On Monday, the US-born streamer told followers: "It was an insane situation, it's very obvious that they knew exactly who I was.
"It's very obvious that they knew how to navigate the conversation and it was a really interesting conversation that took place.
"It was very cordial… I thought it was strange how cordial it was."
But US government official Tricia McLaughlin accused Mr Piker of "lying for likes".
In a post on X, she said the "routine" inspection could have happened to anyone travelling.
"Claims that his political beliefs triggered the inspection are baseless," she wrote.
"Once his inspection was complete, he was promptly released."
In a further statement, CBP said: "Our officers are following the law, not agendas," adding that Mr Piker was "promptly released" once the inspection was complete.
Mr Piker questioned this response, inquiring why he was asked about his views on Donald Trump, Israel, Houthi rebels, Hamas and his bans from Twitch.
Mr Piker accused the government of attempting to create "an environment of fear" in an effort to silence critics.
His experience follows the detention of student protesters Mahmoud Khalil and Rümeysa Öztürk by US immigration officials.
Both were taken into custody after expressing pro-Palestine views, as part of what the White House has called a crackdown on anti-semitism on US college campuses.
Opponents have accused the government of attempts to suppress free speech, and Mr Khalil's lawyers have rejected claims he was promoting anti-semitism.
The White House has said it is "committed to the enforcement of our immigration laws and will take swift action to remove aliens who pose serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States".
