Twitch reinstated misogynistic streamer Sneako. A week later, he attended a white nationalist event.
Twitch has policies related to “off-service conduct,” including association with known hate groups
Written by Kayla Gogarty & Justin Horowitz
Published
Less than a week after being reinstated to Twitch, misogynistic pro-Nazi streamer Sneako (real name Nico Kenn De Balinthazy) attended an event associated with Nick Fuentes’ white nationalist America First Foundation. Sneako has repeatedly defended and praised Fuentes’ extremist group since his reinstatement.
This “off-service conduct” seemingly violates Twitch’s policies, which assert that “some off-service offenses committed by Twitch users can create a substantial safety risk to the Twitch community,” and do not allow “individuals or organizations who engage off-service in … leadership, membership, or sponsorship of a known hate group.”
On June 10, Sneako was reinstated on Twitch after being banned from the platform in 2022, at a time when he's said he was “peak red pill raging.” Discussing his reinstatement, the streamer claimed: “I sent them a proper email explaining that I want to be a good member of the community and all this stuff. So if you are banned, just make sure to send Twitch a proper email and explain that you want to be involved, and you'll get unbanned.”
But less than a week after his reinstatement, Sneako was in Detroit on June 16 for what was supposed to be the 2024 America First Political Action Conference — an event organized by the white nationalist America First Foundation. The group was founded by Fuentes, a Holocaust denier and white supremacist who attended the deadly 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Sneako is linked to Fuentes and spoke at a Fuentes rally in 2023.)
Fuentes and his organization reportedly attempted to hold their event in two different locations in Detroit but were kicked out of both venues. While the group did not end up having an official location, it appears that Fuentes did speak from a podium for a short time to a crowd of attendees who mingled in and around the venue spaces.
One day before Fuentes’ conference was supposed to take place, Sneako appeared in a livestream with the white nationalist leader in which the pair celebrated the projected number of attendees and “energy” at the event.
“This has got to be the most amount of energy,” Sneako said to Fuentes.
“Yeah. It’s the most people, it’s the most energy,” Fuentes responded. “This war in Palestine is really what did it.”
While arguing with venue staff at the second attempted location, Sneako was reportedly punched in the mouth by a security guard. Discussing the incident during a livestream, Sneako praised Fuentes’ movement and followers.
“It was good to be in Detroit and to be around all the people there for the America First movement,” Sneako said. “I really believe in this stuff. … I really believe in this stuff so much to the point that I get kind of reckless.”
“All the groypers were out there, good people,” Sneako added.
Sneako also seemingly defended Fuentes' group in a recent interview, saying on June 16 that “this movement is the strongest movement in America that is resistant upon the influence of Israel in American politics” and noting that “I really believe in this stuff.”
Sneako also pushed misogynistic and authoritarian rhetoric later in the interview, seemingly praising the movement for being “women free” and describing it as a group of “young men who are on the same page about putting America first.”
Since Sneako’s initial Twitch ban, which he claims had been in place since 2022, he has repeatedly pushed pro-Nazi rhetoric online and while livestreaming:
- Sneako said Fuentes will be president one day while speaking at an antisemitic rally. [Twitter/X, 7/17/23]
- While probing a German woman about her sex life in a stream uploaded to X (formerly Twitter), Sneako made antisemitic comments and said he wanted to do the fascist Roman salute “so bad.” [Media Matters, 3/13/24]
- On X, Sneako posted a picture of Hitler and wrote “this nigga had aura.” [Media Matters, 3/13/24]
- During a livestream on Rumble, Sneako said that “the Nazis had drip” and that the swastika is “aesthetically pleasing.” [Media Matters, 3/13/24]
- While livestreaming with influencer Adin Ross, Sneako refused to call Hitler evil. [Sportskeeda, 4/13/23]
- Sneako wrote on X that people should not “bash” Hitler for killing Jewish people and wished him a happy birthday. [Media Matters, 3/13/24]
- On the No Jumper podcast, Sneako pushed antisemitic conspiracy theories about Jewish people. [Media Matters, 3/30/23]