Twitch bans streamer Asmongold after comments on migrants

Twitch has banned top US streamer Zack ‘Asmongold’ Hoyt after he suggested that migrants crossing into the Spanish enclave – including children – should be shot to stop the flow and avoid unrest in the area.

The controversy erupted on Monday when Asmongold reacted to a video about the crisis in Ceuta, a Spanish territory bordering Morocco. Around 50,000-60,000 people, mostly young Moroccan men, stormed the enclave’s perimeter in around a day in late July.

The influx – which amounted to around 70% of the enclave’s regular population – completely overwhelmed the authorities, leading to scenes of utter chaos. The death toll exceeded 100 people, with many drowning in the Mediterranean Sea during the crossing.

Commenting on the crisis, Asmongold dismissed as “emotional blackmail” the argument that harsh treatment of migrants entering with children is unacceptable.

“Well then, don’t bring your kids. If you don’t want to get shot, then don’t bring your f**king kids. It’s really simple,” he said. “I’d shoot whoever… I mean, if it’s kids, women, men, anybody – just shoot them. They’re gonna stop coming over.”

He also claimed that migrants will likely take advantage of any lax policies and use women and children as human shields. “That’s the way an animal thinks, and these people are animals. It’s just the way it is. They’re savages. Absolute f**king savages. Terrorists,” he said.

Asmongold’s account was later suspended. He confirmed that he was banned for 14 days, though Twitch has not issued a public explanation for the suspension.

On Saturday, Asmongold released a video on YouTube explaining the controversy, in which he doubled down on his stance rather than apologizing. He argued that the scale of the crossings amounts to “a military invasion,” and that Spain has every right to “use lethal military force to repel” it. He also claimed that sparing migrants who travel with children only incentivizes traffickers to use them as “political capital.”

“I don’t think that any country has an obligation to take in migrants,” he said, adding, “I’m not sorry for saying that.”

Critics, including fellow streamer Hasan Piker, accused Asmongold of urging violence against migrant children, while supporters pointed to what they called Twitch’s inconsistent moderation record depending on the political affiliation of the speaker.

Twitch banned Asmongold in October 2024 after he suggested that Palestinians in Gaza belong to an “inferior culture,” and said he is not sympathetic to Palestinians who died during the war with Israel, though he subsequently apologized.

Asmongold, 36, rose to prominence streaming World of Warcraft before becoming one of gaming’s most-watched personalities and an outspoken commentator on politics and the culture war. He leans right, though he has not cast himself as a supporter of any particular party.