3 days ago
YouTube governmental commentator Cenk Uygur and his nephew, Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, person been blocked introduction to nan UK by nan Home Office, meaning they will miss scheduled talks astatine SXSW London this week.
In nan past fewer minutes, nan Home Office has confirmed that nan pair’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) “has been cancelled connected nan grounds that their beingness successful nan UK whitethorn not beryllium conducive to nan nationalist good.”
An ETA allows a personification to participate nan UK for up to six months without a visa. The Home Office noted that, “Decisions to garbage aliases cancel an ETA on these grounds are based solely connected an appraisal of nan imaginable consequence an individual whitethorn airs to UK society.”
Uygur, nan laminitis of left-wing authorities transmission The Young Turks, had posted a bid of messages connected societal media saying his correct to recreation had been refused, pinch Piker later posting a akin note.
“I’ve been banned from nan UK,” wrote Uygur. “I person tried to get connected a formation to be SXSW London and springiness a reside astatine Oxford. I’ve been banned for criticizing Israel. Are we free anymore? This is oppression of Western citizens by our ain governments connected behalf of a different country!”
Piker linked successful Uygur’s original statement and wrote: “The UK has revoked my visa arsenic well. All astatine nan behest of Israel.”
Both men person agelong been captious of Israel, accusing nan state of “genocide” complete its subject attacks successful Palestine. Since nan Hamas-led onslaught connected Israel connected October 7, 2023, good complete 70,000 group person died successful Palestine, according to nan wellness ministry.
Uygur – who is CEO of The Young Turks and has appeared connected nan likes of CNN, ABC News’ This Week pinch George Stephanopoulos and NPR – was owed to look astatine SXSW London connected Wednesday for a talk titled ‘Techno-Feudalism is Here. Who Are nan Lords?’, while Piker had planned to look a time later for a convention titled ‘How nan American Left Learned to Speak nan Internet.’
Piker has stoked contention successful nan past for advocating for Hamas complete Israel and has reportedly said “America deserved 9/11,” though he later apologized for nan comment. Uygur, who concisely campaigned for nan Democratic statesmanlike information successful 2024, is besides captious of Israel’s power connected nan U.S. Reports successful nan UK property opportunity nan blocks were made to lessen nan consequence of exacerbating antisemitism.
SXSW London originates this greeting and runs done nan week.
