A Turkish-American online streamer, Hasan Piker, and another political commentator, Cenk Uygur, have been banned by British authorities from entering the United Kingdom to speak at public events.
Piker, a liberal commentator who is frequently critical of U.S. President Donald Trump, Israel, and the war in Gaza, has about 2.8 million followers on Twitch.
The UK Home Office said on Monday that the electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) for Piker and Uygur, host of the “Young Turks” political talk show and reportedly Piker’s uncle, were cancelled on the grounds that their presence in the UK “may not be conducive to the public good.”
It said decisions to refuse or cancel ETAs on such grounds are based on an assessment of the potential risk an individual may pose to UK society.
The two were due to speak at SXSW London, a festival on culture, technology, and creativity, while Uygur was also expected to address the Oxford Union, the prestigious student debating society.
Reacting to the decision, Piker described it as “a sad state of affairs,” saying on his YouTube channel that “the interests of Israel obviously take the highest priority.”
However, Labour lawmaker David Taylor, who called for Piker to be blocked, said there was “no reason we should open our doors to those who seek to spread hate and division,” adding that Piker had supported a proscribed terror group.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski, however, said the government was “doing everything possible to silence criticism of the Israeli government.”
The ban comes amid heightened tensions in the UK following recent attacks targeting the Jewish community.
It also follows a similar move last month when US rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, was barred from entering the country over past antisemitic remarks.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously said his government “stands firmly with the Jewish community” and would continue efforts to confront antisemitism.