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US political commentators denied entry to UK by Home Office
TL;DR
US political commentators Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur have been denied entry to the UK after their visas were revoked by the Home Office. They claim the ban is due to their criticism of Israel.
Key points
- Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur are US citizens.
- They were blocked from entering the UK by the Home Office.
- The commentators claim the ban is due to their criticism of Israel.
- They were scheduled to speak at SXSW London and an Oxford event.
Mentioned in this story
Hasan PikerCenk UygurThe Young TurksUnited Kingdom
Two left-wing content creators have been blocked from entering the United Kingdom after they said the Home Office revoked their visas.
US citizens Hasan Piker, who is a Twitch streamer and political commentator and Cenk Uygur, who co-founded and hosts left-wing populist show "The Young Turks" on YouTube, were both due to speak at the SXSW London festival and an event in Oxford.
The pair have blasted the UK government, claiming they were "banned for criticising Israel".
Piker has come under fire for making pro-Hamas comments while Uygur has called Israel's actions in Gaza "barbaric". The Home Office has been contacted for comment.
Posting on X, Uygur said: "I've been banned from the UK.
"I tried to get on a flight to London to attend SXSW London and give a speech at Oxford. I've been banned for criticising Israel. Are we free any more?
"This is oppression of western citizens by our own governments on behalf of a different country."
Replying to this post, Piker wrote: "The UK has revoked my visa as well. All at the behest of Israel. The west is betraying 'liberal values' for a genocidal fascist foreign government. Soon we will all become Israel."
It is understood that both men had their Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) cancelled.
A decision to cancel an ETA can be based on assessment of the potential risk someone might pose to the UK public good.
Labour MP David Taylor, who last week called for Piker to be barred from entering the UK, thanked the home secretary for the decision.
"There's no reason to open our doors to those who seek to spread hate and division, especially to those who've supported a proscribed terror group," Taylor wrote on X.
SXSW London is a six-day event in East London's Shoreditch that holds talks about business, technology, music, film and culture.
A spokesperson for the event said they were aware the pair were unable to travel to the UK because of the Home Office revoking their visas.
"Decisions on entry to the UK are a matter for the Home Office and the individuals concerned.
"SXSW London's role is to convene a broad range of diverse voices and perspectives."
Piker has a daily audience of 30,000 for his hours-long streams on the Twitch platform, according to a profile on the SXSW London website, which has since been taken down.
He was listed at an event called "How The American Left Learned To Speak The Internet". Uygur was scheduled to be part of a discussion called "Techno-Feudalism Is Here. Who Are The Lords?".
Other comments from Piker include a 2019 statement that "America deserved 9/11" which he later acknowledged was inappropriate.
Q&A
Why were Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur denied entry to the UK?
They were denied entry after the Home Office revoked their visas, which they claim is due to their criticism of Israel.
What events were Piker and Uygur scheduled to attend in the UK?
They were due to speak at the SXSW London festival and an event in Oxford.
What specific comments led to the visa revocation for Piker and Uygur?
Piker made pro-Hamas comments, while Uygur referred to Israel's actions in Gaza as 'barbaric'.
How has the UK government responded to the visa revocation of Piker and Uygur?
The Home Office has been contacted for comment, but no official response has been provided yet.
