Highlights
- Emiru was allegedly assaulted by an attendee during a TwitchCon meet-and-greet on October 17.
- The incident was captured on video and widely shared on X (formerly Twitter).
- Twitch says the individual was immediately removed and banned from all events.
- The episode renews questions about streamer safety at conventions.
Assault during TwitchCon meet-and-greet
Twitch streamer and cosplayer Emiru, who has nearly two million followers, was reportedly assaulted during a meet-and-greet event at TwitchCon 2025 in San Diego on Friday, October 17.
A video circulating on X shows a person approaching Emiru, grabbing her, and appearing to lean in for a kiss. Emiru pushed the individual away before security quickly intervened and escorted the person out. Despite the shock, Emiru reportedly returned to complete the meet-and-greet session.
The clip, posted around 8:21 p.m. EST, has been viewed nearly 400,000 times. The original poster condemned the incident, calling it “disgusting” and praising Emiru for her composure in continuing the event.
Twitch issues permanent ban
Twitch confirmed the incident in a statement to Mashable, saying the individual was immediately removed and permanently banned from both the event and the platform.
“The safety and security of all those attending TwitchCon is our highest priority,” a Twitch spokesperson said. “The behavior displayed by the individual involved in this incident was completely unacceptable and deeply upsetting. We immediately removed this individual from TwitchCon premises, and they are banned indefinitely from Twitch, both online and in-person events. Twitch has zero tolerance for harassment.”
Ongoing safety concerns for female streamers
The assault comes amid broader scrutiny over safety for women in streaming and gaming communities. Hours before the incident, Twitch’s head of community, Mary Kish, told Mashable that the company has been working to strengthen security measures and educate attendees on harassment prevention.
“I wouldn’t encourage women to be streamers if I felt like it wasn’t safe for us,” Kish said, adding that Twitch must continue to be “aggressive” about safeguarding its community. She cited tools like phone-linked accounts and account bans that block re-entry as steps toward reducing online harassment.
Despite these efforts, female streamers remain vulnerable at large conventions. This year, popular creators Valkyrae and QTCinderella both pulled out of TwitchCon, citing fears about public safety.
Twitch CEO Dan Clancy has previously stated that the company takes event security “extremely seriously,” though previous editions of TwitchCon have seen harassment incidents — including disruptions last year by Kick-affiliated streamers.
A recurring problem for Emiru
This marks the second high-profile harassment incident involving Emiru in recent months. In March, while livestreaming in Santa Monica with fellow streamers Cinna and Valkyrae, the group was confronted by a man who reportedly threatened to kill them, according to a BBC report.
The latest episode has intensified calls for stronger security and accountability measures at gaming and streaming conventions, where the line between fandom and harassment too often blurs.
