Why the UK banned Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur
6/3/202627 min
On Sunday, two prominent left-wing political commentators in the US — Hasan Piker and his uncle, Cenk Uygur – said they had been barred from visiting the UK.
Both men were due to appear at the SXSW London festival, but say the British government blocked them from entering the country because of their criticism of Israel. The British government confirmed that it had denied them entry on the grounds that their presence in the UK “may not be conducive to the public good” but did not elaborate further. Their cases have sparked renewed debate about the limits of free speech in the UK.
We speak to American political activist Shabbos Kestenbaum – who was due to debate Cenk Uygur in London – and to the legal academic and host of the BBC’s The Law Show, Joelle Grogan.
Producers: Sam Chantarasak, Lucy Pawle and Aron Keller
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: Hasan Piker speaks to members of the media at the venue for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani's election night rally in Brooklyn, New York, November 4, 2025. Credit: Jeenah Moon/Reuters
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAsma Khalid· Host0:00
On Sunday, the American left-wing commentator Cenk Uygur was at the airport in LA about to travel to the UK when he says this happened.
Cenk Uygur· Soundbite0:09
And I was gonna get on a flight to go to London, and they said, "I'm sorry, sir, there's a problem." I said, "What's the problem?" They said, "You've been banned from the United Kingdom."
Asma Khalid· Host0:17
As it turned out, the same had happened to his nephew, one of the most prominent left-wing internet personalities, Hasan Piker.
Hasan Piker· Soundbite0:24
Uh, my visa has also been revoked. Um, we just found out. Yes, m- as it stands currently, I don't believe that I'll be able to go to the United Kingdom, uh, this upcoming week.
Asma Khalid· Host0:36
Both men say the British government blocked them from entering the country because of their criticism of Israel. On Monday, the British government confirmed that it had denied entry to Uygur and Piker on the grounds that their presence in the UK may not be conducive to the public good. There was no mention of Israel in their statement, but the news of these bans has sparked fresh conversations about the limits of free speech in the UK.
Speaker 31:05
If you're coming into our country from abroad with that kind of intention, you have no right to be here. This is just the latest example of what is the largest assault on free speech since the 1950s.
Speaker 41:19
So I think what the Home Secretary has done is, is good in a way, as long as, as, as it's done for genuine reasons. The reasons apparently the British government