Twitch CEO Apologises After Emiru's Assault at TwitchCon 2025: “We Messed Up”

Twitch CEO Dan Clancy has apologised after streamer Emiru was assaulted at TwitchCon 2025. The apology is coming after days of backlash over how the company handled the issue.

His first comments sparked anger online, with many calling them out as dismissive and out of touch. In a post on X, Clancy admitted that Twitch failed to protect Emiru. He also said that the company did not handle the issues well.

“I want to take full responsibility for what happened during Emiru’s Meet and Greet,” he wrote. “It shouldn’t have happened, and we take that very seriously. We failed, both in preventing it and in how we responded. I also mismanaged our communication about the incident, including my own comments. I’m sorry to Emiru for everything that happened.”

His apology marks the first time Twitch leadership has directly owned up to its mistakes since the event.

The issue took place on October 19 at the San Diego Convention Centre. During Emiru’s fan meet-up, a man pushed past barriers and security. He grabbed Emiru's face and tried to kiss her without her consent.

The whole thing was caught on video. It quickly made its way around social media. Viewers were shocked to see security and people nearby not stepping in. Fans and other streamers were seriously upset. They said Twitch didn't do nearly enough to protect the people streaming or their guests.

Twitch first responded on October 20. The company called the assault “completely unacceptable and deeply upsetting.” It also claims that safety is its top priority.

But Emiru later shared that the man wasn’t detained right away. She said he was allowed to walk out of the building. To support her claims, there are videos. These videos show the man walking out of the building.

She said her manager had to repeatedly push TwitchCon staff to take the situation seriously. The 22-year-old suspect is a Texas resident. He had already been banned from Twitch for harassment. However, he was later arrested, as he should have been. Emiru has confirmed she’s pressing charges.

Clancy’s troubles grew after a video from the event surfaced. In the video, he called the assault “a challenge in today’s society.” It sounds more like something we have to live with.

For many, this is a very poor remark that tries to downplay the issue. Users online have bashed him for reducing the issue like it's a normal thing.

He later clarified that he cares deeply about Emiru. He also promised tighter safety measures at future Twitch events. Still, many in the Twitch community say the company needs to prove it’s serious. They say it's not about saying "sorry" but showing that Twitch is truly sorry.