Congressional candidate Melat Kiros and state Sen. Julie Gonzales are hosting a rally with popular leftist political commentator Hasan Piker in Denver. The event, titled ‘Young, Bold and Unbought’, will take place at the Ogden Theatre on Colfax Avenue.

Local Candidates and National Issues

Kiros and Gonzales are part of a progressive new wave of the Democratic Party, with both aiming to unseat establishment Democrats. Kiros is challenging longtime incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette, while Gonzales faces U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper. The rally will focus on issues such as Medicare for All, immigrant dignity, affordable housing, and an end to big-money politics.

Piker has nearly 3 million followers on the streaming platform Twitch and has been outspoken about the U.S.-Israel relationship and Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Kiros has also been critical of Israel’s policies, calling it an ‘apartheid state’ in a 2023 open letter.

Controversy Surrounding Piker and Kiros

Piker has been accused of antisemitism by various Jewish organizations and leaders, but maintains that he is only attacking the policies of Israel. Kiros has been endorsed by at least one anti-Zionist Jewish group, Jewish Voice For Peace Action. The Jewish Community Relations Council of Colorado wrote an open letter to Kiros, criticizing her for what it called a lack of nuance in her discussion of Israel.

Original reporting: Denverite — read the source article.