Hasan Piker appears with Ilhan Omar, Omar Fateh in Minneapolis despite criticism from fellow Democrats

Left-wing commentator Hasan Piker sat down Monday with Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and Minnesota state Sen. Omar Fateh in Minneapolis, following days of questions and concerns surrounding his visit.

The three spoke at the Theatre in the Round for more than 20 minutes about Omar's start in politics and why Minnesota politics has been in the national spotlight multiple times over the past six-plus years. The conversation was streamed on Twitch.

"Honestly, it's going to come across as oversimplified, but I think it's jealousy," Piker said.

Piker later said Minneapolis politics have "moved in a positive direction year-over-year," but that there is still room to grow. He also said Minnesotans were in "solidarity" during Operation Metro Surge, the federal immigration enforcement operation.

"Minnesota does not come after their refugees; they send one to Congress," Omar, a refugee from Somalia, said while encouraging people at the event to go out and vote.

The event, called "I'm the Host Now!", was hosted by Fateh. After Omar left, Fateh spoke with Piker in front of the audience for around 50 minutes. The event was sold out.

Piker is an online streamer whose videos get hundreds of thousands of views and whose platforms have amassed millions of followers. He has previously said "America deserved 9/11," a remark he later apologized for, and that Hamas is "1,000 times better" than Israel.

DFL U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, who ran unsuccessfully for the DFL nomination for U.S. Senate, called Piker's words "polarizing and dangerous" and said "embracing him as a party is a mistake."

The American Jewish Committee said in a social media post on X that Piker "should not be platformed."

Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, the Republican nominee for governor, said in a written statement that Democratic leaders "invited a vile anti-American left-wing radical to Minnesota." A spokesperson for her opponent in the governor's race, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, said Klobuchar believes "a number of his comments are reckless."

State Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, said in a written statement, in part, "While I applaud the recent handful of Democrat office holders that have spoken out against Piker and his socialist, antisemitic rhetoric, the DFL partisan reaction is woefully inadequate with too many DFL 'leaders' remaining silent."

Omar is seeking reelection in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Her opponent is Republican John Nagel, a former state trooper.