Twitch CEO apologizes after Emiru assault at TwitchCon 2025: “We failed, both in allowing it and in our response”

In response to the unfortunate and unexpected assault of Twitch partner and streamer Emiru and last week’s Twitch Con 2025, Twitch CEO Dan Clancy issued an apology on X for weak security implementations and promised better measures at future events.

In the apology post, he stated:

First, I want to be upfront and take accountability for the security incident that occurred during Emiru’s Meet and Greet. It shouldn’t have happened, and we take that very seriously.

We failed, both in allowing it to occur and in our response following. We mismanaged our communications about the incident, and that includes the comments I made. I apologize to Emiru for all that took place.

The incident occurred on October 19 at the San Diego Convention Center during Emiru’s Meet and Greet. During the session, a male attendee bypassed security and multiple barriers to grab Emiru’s face and attempt to kiss her without consent.

All of this was captured in a video that has since gone viral on social media. In the video, TwitchCon security and bystanders failed to intervene, sparking widespread outrage among fans and other content creators.

Twitch’s initial response on October 20 highlighted that the safety and security of all those attending TwitchCon is our highest priority, and that the assailant’s actions were “completely unacceptable and deeply upsetting.”

However, Emiru opened up about the issue and stated that the assailant was not detained by security and allowed to leave the premises, a claim corroborated by a video of the suspect leaving.

Emiru further mentioned that the assailant had been apprehended after her manager repeatedly pressed TwitchCon staff to take action. Emiru has since confirmed that she is pursuing criminal charges against the 22-year-old assailant, who authorities have identified as a Texas resident with a prior Twitch ban history for harassment.

Adding to the backlash surrounding the whole situation, Clancy was met with criticism for his comments in a video interview during the event, where he framed assault as a “challenge in today’s society.” 

He further stated, “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. This is something we have to keep working on.”

However, Clancy’s initial comments were met with harsh criticism, as many fans and streamers called his statement “tone-deaf” and “victim-blaming,” and Twitch was perceived as taking a “reactive rather than proactive approach.”