Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur Banned From UK Over 'Not Conducive' Ruling

The UK has blocked Twitch streamer Hasan Piker and political commentator Cenk Uygur from entering the country, preventing planned appearances at SXSW London and Oxford University this June. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood denied them entry and the Home Office said the bans were issued “on the grounds that their presence in the UK may not be conducive to the public good.” The Times reported additional detail about Uygur’s ban, linking it to remarks about Israel since the October 7 attacks, what the paper called “classic antisemitic tropes,” and comments made in a recent interview with Piers Morgan about Islamic “grooming gangs” in UK towns.

The UK’s ETA system, similar to the US ESTA, allows visa‑less stays of up to six months; both men say they discovered their ETA applications were denied when trying to board flights. Uygur posted on X, “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 criticizing Israel. Are we free anymore?

United Kingdom, London, Oxford

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