Britain Blocks Entry of Left-Wing Media Personalities

Britain has prohibited Cenk Uygur, a Turkish-American media figure, and his nephew, Hasan Piker, an American commentator and influencer, from entering the country to speak at scheduled events. The two disclosed this information on Monday.

Uygur, who co-hosts “The Young Turks” on YouTube, and Piker claimed their ban was due to their stance on Israel. The UK interior ministry stated their travel authorization was revoked as “their presence in the UK may not be conducive to the public good,” without directly referencing Israel.

Both were planning to speak at the SXSW London festival and the University of Oxford. Uygur questioned his ban on social media, mentioning his criticism of Israel. Piker announced his own visa revocation, attributing it to pressures from Israel.

Piker was scheduled to discuss “How the American Left Learned to Speak the Internet” at SXSW. Uygur’s panel was titled: “Techno-Feudalism is Here. Who Are the Lords?” Their profiles on the SXSW London website, a festival focused on business, technology, and creativity, did not mention Israel.

Over the past year, concerns about free speech in Britain have arisen, voiced by U.S. figures including former President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. In May, Britain also barred 11 individuals deemed “foreign far-right agitators,” linked to anti-Islam activities, from entering the country for an event.

Uygur, 56, garners over 200 million monthly views via “The Young Turks,” per SXSW London’s website. He briefly ran as a Democratic candidate in the 2024 U.S. presidential race. His nephew, 34, engages a daily Twitch audience of 30,000, according to the festival’s website.