Two American political commentators were denied entry into UK, and they say their ban was for criticizing this third country

US citizens Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker have been blocked from entering the United Kingdom after the Home Office revoked their visas, the BBC reports. This sudden development effectively prevents the pair from fulfilling their scheduled appearances at the SXSW London festival and a separate event in Oxford. Both men are prominent digital creators, with Uygur co-founding the popular YouTube show The Young Turks and Piker operating a massive Twitch channel that reaches tens of thousands of viewers daily.

The two commentators have responded to the travel ban by claiming their exclusion is a direct result of their vocal criticism of Israel. Uygur took to X to share his experience with his audience. He wrote, “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.”

Piker echoed these sentiments on the same platform, confirming that his own visa had been pulled. He 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.”

The reaction to the government’s decision has been polarized

The technical mechanism behind this decision involves the cancellation of the Electronic Travel Authorisation, or ETA, for both men. Under UK policy, the Home Office can cancel such travel authorizations if they determine that an individual poses a potential risk to the public good. While the Home Office has been contacted for comment, the decision has already drawn significant reactions from political figures and advocacy groups.

Labour MP David Taylor publicly supported the move, as he had previously called for Piker to be barred from the country. Taylor wrote on X, “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.”

This sentiment was shared by the Community Security Trust, a group representing the Jewish community. The organization stated that it welcomed the decision and the government’s recognition that there must be consequences when public figures cross the line into hate speech. The group added, “While criticism of Israel is entirely legitimate, Piker has a record that goes far beyond robust or controversial political speech, including rhetoric that contains antisemitic themes.”

The context surrounding these individuals is quite extensive. Piker has faced significant backlash for past comments, including a 2019 statement where he claimed that “America deserved 9/11,” a remark he later acknowledged was inappropriate. He also previously stated in an episode of Pod Save America that he believed Hamas was “1,000 times better” than Israel and that he “would vote for Hamas over Israel every single time.” Despite these controversies, Piker stated that he does not consider himself antisemitic, but rather “anti-Israel.”

Uygur, who is Piker’s uncle, has also faced scrutiny for his commentary. His show, The Young Turks, is a massive fixture on YouTube, but his rhetoric has drawn similar fire. Reports suggest the decision to block him from the UK is based on several factors, including comments regarding grooming gangs made on a YouTube show and the use of tropes such as claims that Israel controls American policy.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski called the move a really grim decision. He stated, “People often talk about [the] dangerous road we’d go down under a Reform government – this is another clear warning we’re down there already. A Labour government doing everything possible to silence criticism of the Israeli government.”

The Liberty Human Rights group also weighed in, with director Akiko Hart stating, “In recent months we have seen the government preventing people from entering the UK where their speech is deemed to have crossed the line.” Hart added, “It is important that any Government decisions that restrict speech adhere to the very high standards set out in UK law – and that the Government is transparent about why and how decisions have been made.”

For its part, SXSW London, which is currently hosting a six-day event in Shoreditch, confirmed it was aware the speakers were unable to travel. A spokesperson for the event noted that entry decisions remain firmly within the purview of the Home Office. The spokesperson stated, “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.” They added, “We remain focused on delivering a programme this week fostering open dialogue and exchange of ideas and featuring more than 800 speakers, artists and screenings.”

This isn’t the first time the Home Office has exercised its power to block international figures from entering the UK. Earlier this year, the artist Kanye West, now known as Ye, was blocked from entry due to his history of antisemitic and pro-Nazi comments. Additionally, the government recently barred 11 foreign nationals from entering the country ahead of a rally in central London, labeling them as far-right agitators.