UK Denies Entry to US Commentators Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker

LONDON, June 1 (Reuters) - The UK government has denied entry to Cenk Uygur, a Turkish-American media personality, and his nephew, Hasan Piker, a U.S. commentator, preventing them from attending events in the country. Both individuals stated that their entry was blocked due to their views on Israel. The UK Home Office announced that travel authorization for these individuals was revoked as their presence was deemed 'not conducive to the public good,' although the statement did not specifically mention Israel. Uygur and Piker were scheduled to speak at the SXSW London festival and the University of Oxford. Uygur expressed his frustration on social media, questioning the state of free speech, while Piker also noted the visa revocation. The SXSW London website did not reference Israel in relation to their planned sessions. This incident follows previous actions by the British government, which has barred other individuals from entering the country based on their political affiliations. Uygur, who co-hosts 'The Young Turks,' has a significant online following, while Piker has a daily audience on Twitch.