Britain has prohibited Cenk Uygur, a Turkish-American media figure known for his left-wing stance, and his nephew, Hasan Piker, a U.S. left-wing commentator, from visiting the country to participate in scheduled events, as announced on Monday.
Uygur, who is recognized for co-hosting the popular YouTube channel “The Young Turks,” and Piker have stated that the ban resulted from their views regarding Israel. The UK’s interior ministry clarified that travel permissions for these individuals were withdrawn, citing that their presence might not serve the public good, yet did not reference Israel in their statement.
They were slated to present at the SXSW London festival later this week and at the University of Oxford over the weekend. Uygur expressed his frustration online, questioning the state of freedom, following his attempt to board a flight. Meanwhile, Piker remarked that the UK’s decision to revoke his visa was influenced by Israel.
At SXSW, Piker was expected to discuss “How the American Left Learned to Speak the Internet.” Uygur was scheduled to speak on “Techno-Feudalism is Here. Who Are the Lords?” The SXSW London website, which promotes itself as a forum for business, technology, and creativity, does not mention Israel in connection with their presentations.
In the past year, U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have voiced concerns over what they perceive as threats to free speech in Britain. Earlier in May, the British government banned 11 individuals described as “foreign far-right agitators” from entering to speak at an event organized by anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson.
Uygur, aged 56, engages a vast audience with over 200 million monthly views through “The Young Turks,” as noted on the SXSW London website. He briefly entered the 2024 U.S. presidential race as a Democratic nominee. His nephew, aged 34, has a regular live-stream audience of 30,000 on Twitch, also highlighted on the SXSW website.
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