The UK Home Office revoked the Electronic Travel Authorization for pro-Palestinian American streamer Hasan Piker on June 1, 2026, barring him and his uncle Cenk Uygur from entering the country just days before they were scheduled to speak at SXSW London and the Oxford Union.
In a statement, the Home Office said it canceled their travel permits “on the grounds that their presence in the UK may not be conducive to the public good.” The agency did not provide specific details about the decision, but both men have been prominent critics of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Piker, 34, is one of the most influential left-wing voices on social media, with about 6.4 million followers across X, Instagram, and Twitch. His hours-long live-streaming broadcasts reach more than 30,000 people daily, according to his SXSW speaker profile. Uygur founded The Young Turks, an independent online news and commentary program with a large following among young audiences.
The pair discovered the ban shortly before travel. Uygur found out when he attempted to board a flight to London, while Piker learned of the revocation after checking his visa status. “I find what the British government did here to be objectionable. I find it to be disgusting. I also find it to be terrifying,” Piker told Democracy Now! on June 5.
Piker accused Britain of abandoning free expression “at the behest of a foreign apartheid state,” while Uygur questioned whether the UK allowed criticism of any country other than Israel. Both insisted they are not antisemitic but rather anti-Zionist and critical of Israeli government policies. Piker has repeatedly stated he is “anti-Zionist, not antisemitic” and has called for greater accountability over Israeli actions in Gaza.
Free speech advocates condemned the decision as part of a broader crackdown on dissent related to Palestine. Lewis Turner, co-vice president of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies, told CNN the ban sets a “dangerous precedent” for free expression. “The UK government appears to be banning individuals from entering the UK because of their criticism of Israeli state policies,” Turner said, noting the move came “in the context of a much wider crackdown on freedom of expression relating to Palestine, especially since October 2023.”
The decision followed pressure from pro-Israel groups. In late May, Labour MP David Taylor had called for Piker to be barred, describing his remarks as “vile antisemitic rants.” Some Jewish groups in Britain had also urged the Home Office to revoke his visa, citing concerns about his statements regarding Israel.
The Home Office stated that ETA cancellations “are based solely on an assessment of potential risk an individual may pose to UK society” and noted that individuals “may choose to apply for a visa if they still wish to travel to the UK.” However, critics pointed out that Piker had previously spoken at the Oxford Union in May 2025 without incident, raising questions about the timing and justification for the sudden reversal.
The ban sparked broader debate about free speech in Britain. The Economist published an editorial titled “Britain is wrong to ban speakers like Hasan Piker,” while the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) warned of a continuing “free speech backslide” in the UK. Former Oxford Union presidents, including one who had invited Piker to speak in 2024, accused the government of applying a double standard.
Sources
- CNN — Core details of the visa revocation, Home Office statement, Piker’s response, Cenk Uygur’s background, Lewis Turner’s free speech concerns, and context on the October 2023 Hamas attack and UN genocide inquiry.
- Democracy Now! — Piker’s direct quote on finding the decision “disgusting” and “terrifying,” details of his statements on Israel, his Cuba trip, and his critique of the Labour government’s role.
- BBC — Confirmation of the visa revocation and the Home Office’s “public good” rationale.
- The Guardian — Details on free speech activists’ condemnation and the broader context of the ban.
- The Economist — Editorial position criticizing the ban as wrong.
- FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) — Analysis of the UK’s free speech backslide and the ban’s role in that trend.
