Far-left streamers Hasan Piker, his uncle Cenk Uyger barred from entry to UK

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had been on a visa-ban spree, preventing conservative supporters of England's nationalist parties from entering the country and also banning rapper Kanye West over antisemitic remarks. Organizers of SXSW, where the two were scheduled to appear, had described Piker as "redefining what political commentary looks like in the digital age." The Home Office has not yet spoken out about the visa denials, but they have confirmed it.

Piker revealed during a livestream Sunday that his Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) had been denied, preventing him from traveling to the UK for planned appearances at SXSW London and the Oxford Union. "I've been banned from the UK," Piker told viewers. "I've been to the UK on numerous occasions, and all of the things they're complaining about now are things I've said before." He added: "It's f*cking ridiculous."

The reported decision comes days after Piker appeared outside Delaney Hall, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, where anti-ICE riots led to multiple arrests over the weekend. During the violence, Piker conducted interviews and criticized law enforcement responses to the rioters.

The reported ban comes as Piker is already facing scrutiny in the United States over a March trip to Cuba that has attracted the attention of federal investigators. The left-wing streamer confirmed reports that the Treasury Department is examining the trip as part of a sanctions-related investigation involving activist organizations that participated in a convoy to the communist-run island.

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The UK move also follows a separate decision involving Piker's uncle, The Young Turks founder Cenk Uygur, who was reportedly denied entry into Britain after officials concluded his presence would not be "conducive to the public good."

According to The Times, British authorities cited concerns that Uygur's rhetoric following Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel could contribute to antisemitism. The outlet reported that Uygur was also banned because of an interview he did with Piers Morgan on his YouTube channel, in which he dismissed evidence relating to grooming gangs in the UK, calling the issue “Islamophobic."

Uygur later claimed on social media he had been barred for "criticizing Israel."

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"Are we free anymore?" Uygur wrote. "This is oppression of Western citizens by our own governments on behalf of a different country!"

Piker similarly blamed pro-Israel advocacy groups for the decision against him. "Israel advocacy organizations have unbelievable amounts of power over what even the United Kingdom has to say and do," Piker said. "If you're an avowed anti-Zionist, your travel will be restricted."

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The streamer repeatedly rejected accusations of antisemitism and argued that governments are increasingly targeting anti-Israel voices. "This is straight-up fascism," Piker said. "Being critical of Israel while combating antisemitism is not a good enough reason to bar someone entry into the country."

Several Jewish organizations in Britain had previously urged authorities to deny Piker entry, citing remarks involving Hamas, Hezbollah, Zionism and Orthodox Jews. Critics have also pointed to Piker's past statement that America "deserved" the September 11 terrorist attacks as "backlash" for US foreign policy.