Two left-wing US political commentators have been banned from entering the UK to speak at events.
Cenk Uygur, the host of the Young Turks online political talkshow, and Hasan Piker, a left-wing commentator who hosts Twitch streams, had both been due to give talks at the SXSW London. Ugyur said had also been set to speak at a University of Oxford event.
But on Monday morning, both shared posts on social media saying the Home Office had banned them for entering the country.
Both men said they believed this was because they had been openly critical of the Israeli state.
Writing on X, Ugyur said: “I’ve been banned from the UK. I tried to get on a flight to London to attend SXSW London and give a speech at Oxford.
“I’ve been banned for criticising Israel. Are we free any more? This is oppression of western citizens by our own governments on behalf of a different country.”
Sharing Ugyur’s post, Piker wrote himself: “The UK has revoked my visa as well. All at the behest of Israel. The west is betraying ‘liberal values’ for a genocidal fascist foreign government. Soon we will all become Israel.”
Last week, Labour MP David Taylor said Piker’s presence in the UK was “not conducive to the public good” and called for him to be prevented from speaking.
Jewish organisation the Community Security Trust had also urged SXSW organisers to “act responsibly” and not give Piker a platform.
Piker, one of the most prominent voices on the US left and who boasts more than three million followers on streaming platform Twitch, has previously been caused controversy for his comments.
In 2019, he reportedly said on a stream that the US “deserved 9/11,” a comment for which he later apologised.
He has also said Hamas is “1,000 time better” than Israel and said on a podcast he would “vote for Hamas over Israel every single time,” comments Piker has stood by.
He says he is anti-Israel, not anti-semitic.
The Times reports that the decision to ban Uygur was based on concerns his presence would risk exacerbating antisemitism.
He has previously faced accusations of propagating tropes that Israel controls America, including by financial means.
The Home Office said in a statement: “These individuals’ electronic travel authorisation (ETA) has been cancelled on the grounds that their presence in the UK may not be conducive to the public good.
“Decisions to refuse or cancel an ETA on these grounds are based solely on an assessment of the potential risk an individual may pose to UK society. Where applications require further consideration, individuals may choose to apply for a visa if they still wish to travel to the UK.”