A recent debate video featuring journalist Mehdi Hasan and 20 far-right conservatives has gone viral on social media, drawing widespread criticism, racking up millions of views, and sparking heated discussions around free speech, platforming extremist views, and the consequences of fascism.

The nearly two-hour video, produced by the media company Jubilee, has garnered over 4 million views on YouTube since its release on Tuesday, with millions more engaging with the content across X and TikTok.

The debate covered topics such as President Donald Trump’s relationship with the US Constitution, immigration in America, and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The video has been lauded by some as confrontational journalism but condemned by others for amplifying extremist ideologies.

One participant identified as Connor responded “Yeah, I am,” when Hasan suggested he may be a fascist. Fellow panelists applauded the response.

Connor further stated he didn’t care about being called a Nazi, voiced opposition to democracy and free speech, and advocated for autocratic rule based on Catholic doctrine.

Following the uproar over his statements, Connor revealed in an interview on RiftTV that he had been fired from his job.

He blamed what he described as the “manner in which you’re canceled” for voicing “heterosexual, Christian, moral beliefs.”

While Connor claimed termination, VeUP, a cloud engineering firm, confirmed to Forbes that he had been working as a subcontractor. “His employment was not terminated by VeUP, but by the core contractor,” the firm clarified.

Connor has now launched a fundraiser on a Christian fundraising platform, seeking $15,000 in “emergency funds” while looking for new employment.

As of Tuesday morning, the fundraiser had raised more than $29,000. Some of the comments by the donors were “It’s ok to be white,” and “We need a white nation! It’s our only future! Vive le Fascisme!”

In another clip with over 10 million views on X, a participant told Hasan, who is an immigrant, that he’s “going to have to go,” suggesting he should leave the United States.

Another clip with 4 million views on X features a participant claiming he feels his “entire race,” referring to white people, is undergoing a “genocide” in the United States.

Yet another clip on TikTok, also with 4 million views, shows Hasan pressing a female participant on her stance on immigration. Despite admitting that her parents are immigrants, she said, “At this moment” she does not “accept that immigrants are Americans.”

Hasan clarified on X that he had no role in selecting the debate participants. “Jubilee cast these folks, not me!” he wrote. In a follow-up post, Hasan expressed his surprise, stating he “did not know some of the participants would be actual outright open fascists.”

He further noted that while he enjoys debating, he aims to “avoid bad faith folks,” adding, “Free speech doesn’t mean you need to give credibility or oxygen or a platform to people who don’t agree in human equality.”

At the end of the Jubilee video, Hasan said that while he values debate, some of the participants were clearly not engaging in good faith.

He stressed that engaging in meaningful dialogue does not necessitate platforming voices that reject fundamental human equality.

The video’s release has triggered a broader debate about the ethics of Jubilee’s programming.

Critics have accused the company of platforming extremists for views and engagement.

One user accused Jubilee of “lying to its guests,” referencing Hasan’s comment that he was unaware of how far-right the participants would be.

Another post called for Jubilee to be “demonetised” on YouTube, accusing the platform of “knowingly spreading Nazi propaganda.”

Mehdi Hasan, who left MSNBC last year, now heads his own media company Zeteo.

He told Forbes that Zeteo is an independent organisation where he can speak “bluntly about racism, fascism, genocide and more.”

He also hosts multiple podcasts under the Zeteo brand, contributes to The Guardian, and continues his work on Al Jazeera’s “Head to Head.”

Hasan is also the author of the 2023 book Win Every Argument, a guide to mastering the art of debate.