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UK bans two US commentators
Britain barred left-wing American commentators Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur from entering the UK ahead of speaking events, after the Home Office cancelled their electronic travel authorisations (ETA) on the grounds that their presence “may not be conducive to the public good”.
“The British government earlier this week barred left-wing political commentators Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur from entering the U”
The Guardian reported that Uygur described the decision as “Kafkaesque” when asked about it by Sky News on Thursday morning.
The Home Office did not reference Israel in its justification, and i24NEWS said London cited a decision related to the public interest while not mentioning the State of Israel.
Uygur said he was “banned for criticizing Israel” after claiming he was prevented from boarding a flight bound for the United Kingdom, and Piker said “The United Kingdom has also revoked my visa.”
Public good debate and quotes
The Green party leader Zack Polanski criticised the ban as “grim”, while Index on Censorship described it as a “worrying escalation”, according to The Guardian.
Uygur told Sky News, “I don’t really know what I’m being charged with here,” and he asked, “Am I really not going to be allowed in Britain from now on?”
In a separate account, Democracy Now! quoted Piker saying, “I find what the British government did here to be objectionable. I find it to be disgusting.”
Democracy Now! also quoted Piker warning that “we’re … headed down a very different — dare I say, fascist — direction in the Western world.”
Events moved and political fallout
The Guardian said both Uygur and Piker would now speak virtually at an event run by the Oxford Union Society after the UK cancelled their ETA.
“American political commentators Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur have been barred from entering the United Kingdom because of their criticism of Israel”
The Times of Israël said the two were slated to speak at the SXSW London festival later this week and at the University of Oxford this weekend, and it quoted Uygur posting, “I was barred from entry for criticizing Israel. Are we still free?”
The Times of Israël also reported that David Taylor supported banning Piker and said, “There’s no reason to open our doors to those who seek to spread hate and division”.
Middle East Eye framed the ban as something that “should terrify the entire 'British public'” and said Mahmood’s decision revoked their electronic travel authorisations because their presence “may not be conducive to the public good”.
