A violent incident involving popular livestreamer Emily “Emiru” Schunk at TwitchCon 2025 has sparked widespread outrage and renewed questions about Twitch’s commitment to creator safety. The attack, which was caught on video, quickly went viral and reignited concerns about security at in-person events hosted by the Amazon-owned platform.
CEO addresses TwitchCon incident
In an interview with journalist Taylor Lorenz the day after the assault, Twitch CEO Dan Clancy addressed the situation, saying the safety of creators remained the company’s “top priority.” Clancy acknowledged that safety challenges extend beyond Twitch itself. “The challenge we face is a challenge in today’s society. It’s not limited to Twitch; it extends throughout our society,” he said.
I asked Twitch CEO Dan Clancy about @emiru getting assaulted at Twitchcon and whether creators can trust the platform to keep them safe. Full interview will be out on my YouTube channel/podcast feed on Wednesday pic.twitter.com/wTH13vhjBH
— Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) October 19, 2025
He discussed the broader issues of online community moderation before turning to the specific incident involving Emiru. “I do think that when you’re livestreaming, in many ways, since you control your community and you can ban people, you can make it so that those people that you don’t want engaging with you and participating with you, aren’t there,” Clancy explained.
The CEO also emphasised Twitch’s ongoing efforts to strengthen event security and its dedication to supporting Emiru personally. “Now, what happened yesterday, obviously, was something that we care deeply about securing this environment. We’re looking very closely at everything that happened there, and I care deeply about Emi. She’s a friend of mine, and so I want to see how we can support her,” he said. “This is just something we have to keep working on. I think everyone identifies our tools in terms of trust and safety as the leaders in the industry about helping creators, but that means there’s always more work to be done, because that’s the world we live in now.”
Streamer challenges Twitch’s response
However, Emiru’s account of Twitch’s handling of the incident has sharply contrasted with Clancy’s statements. In a video released the same day as the interview, she accused Twitch of downplaying the seriousness of the assault and misrepresenting its actions.
According to Emiru, Twitch initially intended to suspend the alleged attacker for only 30 days, rather than permanently banning him. She also claimed that Twitch’s own security staff failed to intervene or apprehend the suspect at the time of the assault.
“Like if you watch the clip, the security guard who pushes the guy away is my security,” Emiru said. “The woman who pulls me to the back is my manager. If you’re a small streamer and you don’t have those resources or someone in your line isn’t filming, what the fuck do you do? No one would have known.”
Her comments have raised serious concerns about the adequacy of Twitch’s on-site safety protocols, particularly for smaller creators who may lack personal security or support staff.
Growing backlash and calls for accountability
The incident has intensified scrutiny of Twitch’s event management and safety standards. Many within the streaming community have expressed frustration over what they view as the platform’s slow or insufficient response to harassment and violence against creators.
The assault at TwitchCon has also reignited debate about whether the platform should remain under Amazon’s ownership, with some users calling for new leadership to prioritise creator welfare and transparency.
As the company continues to review its procedures, streamers are demanding stronger safety measures and more accountability from Twitch to ensure incidents like this are not repeated.
