US political commentators Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker say they had been barred from entering the United Kingdom and British authorities cited their public comments about Israel as the reason for the decision.
Uygur, cofounder of The Young Turks, a United States-based online political news and commentary network, said he learned of the restriction while trying to board a flight to London, where he was scheduled to attend the SXSW London festival and deliver a speech at Oxford University.
Cenk Uyghur wrote, on Twitter:
I’ve been banned from the UK. I tried to get on a flight to London to attend SXSW London and give a speech at Oxford. I’ve been banned for criticizing Israel. Are we free anymore? This is oppression of Western citizens by our own governments on behalf of a different country!
Hasan Piker wrote, on Twitter:
i’ve been fighting the far right for a decade plus. i never would’ve imagined a labor govt would ban me from entering the uk. dark times ahead for the west. liberalism is dead, maga fascism and it’s corrosive influence is felt everywhere.
Several UK politicians and commentators have spoken out against the ban
between this and suppression of anti-zionist/pro-palestine protests (which the media has been slandering as “hate marches”) it is obvious that there is no such thing as free speech in this country
Sadly, if a right only exists when a State exists to guarantee it, it will be taken as soon as it comes into conflict with the state’s goals.
Sadly, ergo, all rights are delusions that we enjoy as long as we do not rock the boat.
This is why no armed force will ever abide by any rules or rights of war when push comes to shove.
c.f. Israeli nuclear proliferation, any country’s war crimes (rape, extrajudical killings, murder of civilians), etc.
unexpectedly banger take from fedinsfw instance, no notes
What suppression of pro-paleatine protests? Are they banned? Didn’t think so.
the proscription of pro-palestine protest groups as “terrorist groups” despite the high court ruling that the proscription was unlawful is just one of several examples of pro-palestine protests being suppressed
do you accept that israel is conducting a genocide in gaza?
One. A group that has targeted UK military and infra. Guess what? That meets the broad definition of terrorism.
I couldn’t care any less about Israel or Palestine. That’s your hill.
not according to the high court. cool to hear you don’t care about genocide though. i thought it was the bare minimum for humanity but i guess there are lower forms of life possible
If the high court are questioning it… Maybe you have more free speech than you were crying about in your root post.
They won’t be de-proscribed though, for good reason.
oh so you DO care about israel after all? what a surprise, you’re a zionist and you lied, what an absolutely unprecedented turn of events. get blocked, feel free to cope in my replies, i don’t talk to genocide deniers.
You’re arguing with a zionist hack. Don’t waste your time on bad faith actors.
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Collaborator
They tried making it illegal to say you support Palestine Action.
No, the UK gov proscribed Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. Support for any proscribed org is illegal.
Just like National Action - you ain’t crying about them though, are you?
don’t bother debating with nazis mate
shares link to mainstream media
Some great debating there, fascist.
“I know you are but what am I” and “You’re bad at debating” in the same comment is an interesting choice.
