Key takeaways:
- Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker were denied entry to the UK, with travel authorizations canceled by British authorities.
- British officials cited concerns that their presence "may not be conducive to the public good," without explicitly mentioning Israel.
- Uygur and Piker allege the bans are linked to their outspoken criticism of Israel and support for Palestine.
Political commentators Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker, both US citizens, have been barred from entering the United Kingdom, with British authorities citing concerns related to their public comments about Israel. Uygur, co-founder of the online political news network The Young Turks, and Piker, a prominent Twitch streamer and Uygur’s nephew, were scheduled to speak at the South by Southwest (SXSW) London festival and at the University of Oxford.
Uygur said he learned of the travel restriction while attempting to board a flight to London. He posted on the social media platform X that British officials described him as “a serious risk to the public order” due to his criticism of Israel. “They say that my charge that Israel controls the American government through donations to 94% of Congress, while factual, is antisemitic nonetheless,” he wrote. Uygur added, “I didn’t get banned for criticising the UK, but for criticising Israel. They broke the irony record by saying it was because I said Israel might control other governments. I wonder if they’re going to ban themselves. This is absolutely Kafkaesque.”
Piker also announced on X that his UK visa had been revoked as he prepared to travel to the same events. He linked the decision to his outspoken support for Palestine and criticism of Israel. On a livestream, Piker said, “It’s a sad state of affairs where obviously the interests of Israel take highest priority. Israel advocacy organisations have unbelievable amounts of power over what even the United Kingdom has to say and do; if you are an avowed anti-Zionist, your travel will be restricted.”
The British interior ministry issued a statement saying travel authorization for “these individuals” had been canceled because “their presence in the U.K. may not be conducive to the public good.” The statement did not mention Israel and emphasized that decisions to refuse or cancel electronic travel authorizations are based solely on assessments of potential risks to UK society.
The Times reported that UK officials used the phrase “not conducive to the public good” in relation to Uygur’s presence, a term Piker also cited regarding his denial of entry.
Uygur and Piker had been scheduled to participate in SXSW London, described as a festival of business, technology, and creativity, and to speak at Oxford University. Uygur’s session was titled “Techno-Feudalism is Here. Who Are the Lords?” while Piker was to present “How the American Left Learned to Speak the Internet.”
This move follows other recent UK travel bans, including the barring of US rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West) over his history of anti-Semitic remarks. British officials defended that decision despite appeals for reconsideration.
Uygur, 56, reportedly draws over 200 million views monthly for The Young Turks, and Piker, 34, attracts a daily audience of about 30,000 on Twitch. The Israeli government did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the allegations linking the travel bans to criticism of Israel.
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