The school is trying to claim that the process for booking the talk was flawed.
FOX News reports:
Controversial streamer Hasan Piker’s lecture axed by University of Washington amid free speech questionsA University of Washington lecture featuring progressive Twitch commentator Hasan Piker is off, and school officials cited a flawed planning process as the reason for the cancellation.Piker, a far-left streamer and YouTube personality, was scheduled to appear in January as part of the school’s 2026-27 Speaker Series, the university said in a statement.However, after “a review of the process by which the event was planned,” the university canceled the event.”It was determined that the process for organizing this event did not meet the necessary level of rigor for University-hosted events in the Speaker Series,” the statement said.”Going forward, procedures will be updated to ensure the standards we have for university-hosted events like the Speaker Series are met, particularly so that we can help elevate the level of dialogue on divisive topics during a polarized time in our country.”The university’s cancellation of Piker, who previously said America “deserved 9/11” before later calling the remark “inappropriate,” has prompted criticism from First Amendment advocates, and the nonprofit civil liberties group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) condemned the move.”If the decision was based on process — and not public backlash or criticism — @UW should be transparent about what standards were not met and how they were applied,” the organization said in an X post.”Public universities can set standards for events. But they can’t use those standards as cover for canceling a speaker because of their views,” it added.
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