Britain Blocks Entry of Media Personalities Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker

Britain has denied entry to Cenk Uygur, a left-wing Turkish-American media figure, and Hasan Piker, his nephew and U.S. commentator. They were scheduled to speak at events in the UK, both reported on Monday.

Uygur, co-host of the renowned YouTube channel “The Young Turks,” and Piker alleged that their opposition to Israeli policies led to their exclusion. The UK’s interior ministry stated that travel permissions for these individuals were revoked, as their presence might not serve the public good. The statement omitted a direct reference to Israel.

Both were set to address audiences at the SXSW London festival later in the week and at the University of Oxford over the weekend. Uygur questioned his barring from the UK, linking it to his criticism of Israel, in a social media post following a failed attempt to board a flight.

Piker also commented on social media, stating his visa was revoked under alleged pressure from Israel. He was scheduled to discuss “How the American Left Learned to Speak the Internet” at SXSW. Uygur’s session titled “Techno-Feudalism is Here. Who Are the Lords?” was also part of the event.

The SXSW London festival is billed as a celebration of “business, technology and creativity.” There was no Israel-related content listed for their sessions on the festival’s website.

U.S. political figures, including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, have voiced concerns over free speech issues in Britain over the past year. In May, Britain barred entry to 11 individuals labeled as “foreign far-right agitators.” These individuals were slated to speak at an event organized by anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson.

Cenk Uygur, 56, draws over 200 million viewers monthly on “The Young Turks,” as per SXSW London’s website. He also briefly ran as a Democratic nominee in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. His nephew, aged 34, engages a daily Twitch audience of 30,000, according to the same website.