The Home Office has barred leftwing US political commentators Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker from entering the UK, stating their presence would not be 'conducive to the public good'. The pair were due to attend SXSW London and speak at the Oxford Union.
Uygur, host of The Young Turks podcast, has been accused of antisemitic tropes in his criticism of Israel, which he denies. Piker, a streamer, has faced backlash for comments including a 2019 remark that 'America deserved 9/11', which he later apologised for, and for stating he would 'vote for Hamas over Israel every single time'.
The Oxford Union president, Arwa Elrayess, confirmed the event will proceed via livestream on Saturday, stating: 'The Oxford Union was founded on one principle: that ideas are challenged through debate, not silenced by decree. Free speech does not require a visa.'
SXSW London, however, said the pair will not participate in their programme. A spokesperson noted that entry decisions are a matter for the Home Office.
Free speech activists criticised the ban. Jemimah Steinfeld of Index on Censorship called it a 'worrying escalation', while Liberty's Akiko Hart urged transparency, saying: 'Free speech can only exist when we defend it for those we disagree with.'
