UK Bars Pro-Palestinian Streamer Hasan Piker and His Uncle from Entering Britain, Sparking Free Speech Outcry.

Britain’s Home Office has blocked American streamer Hasan Piker and his uncle, Cenk Uygur, from entering the UK, canceling their travel permits just days before they were set to speak at SXSW London and the Oxford Union. The government said their presence “may not be conducive to the public good,” without detailing specific evidence. Both men are vocal critics of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

Piker, 34, who reaches over 30,000 daily viewers and has millions of followers across X, Instagram, and Twitch, called the decision a sign that free expression and due process in the UK “are falling by the wayside at the behest of a foreign apartheid state.” Uygur, founder of The Young Turks, said he found out he was banned when trying to board a flight to London. “Are there any other countries you’re not allowed to criticize, or just Israel?” he asked.

British media reported that Home Secretary Shabhana Mahmood made the decision, with The Times noting officials believed Uygur’s presence could “risk exacerbating antisemitism.” Critics, including British lecturer Lewis Turner, say the move sets a “dangerous precedent” and is part of a wider crackdown on Palestine related speech since October 2023.

Piker has repeatedly distinguished anti-Zionism from antisemitism, calling the conflation a “cynical ploy.” He has previously apologized for controversial remarks, including a 2019 comment that “America deserved 9/11.” In a 2024 podcast, he said he’d vote for Hamas over Israel, a remark that drew sharp criticism. Both men have described Israel’s Gaza offensive as genocide, echoing a recent UN inquiry that Israel rejects.

While some Jewish groups say anti-Israel rhetoric fuels antisemitism, others argue such accusations are used to silence legitimate criticism of Israeli government policies.