The United Kingdom has denied entry to two American political commentators, Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker, ahead of their scheduled appearances at the SXSW London festival.

Britain’s Home Office announced on Monday that the Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) of both men had been revoked, citing concerns that their presence in the country may not be in the public interest.

Uygur, a Turkish-American political commentator and founder of the online media platform The Young Turks, and his nephew, political streamer Hasan Piker, were expected to participate in separate discussions during the week-long event in London.

According to festival organisers, Piker was billed to speak on a panel examining how the American political left has adapted to online communication, while Uygur was scheduled to take part in a discussion focused on technology, power and economic influence.

The Home Office did not provide detailed reasons for the decision but noted that the action was taken amid ongoing concerns about public order and community relations. The move comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions in Britain following a series of incidents targeting members of the Jewish community.

Piker has previously attracted controversy over remarks he made during a 2019 livestream in which he reportedly stated that “America deserved 9/11.” He later described the comment as inappropriate.

Reacting to the decision, Uygur accused British authorities of targeting him because of his views on Israel. In a post on X, he questioned the state of free expression in Western democracies and criticised the government’s action.

Piker also condemned the move, alleging that the decision was influenced by support for Israel and arguing that Western governments were compromising liberal demoratic values.

The SXSW London festival, which runs for six days and concludes on Saturday, is the British edition of the renowned South by Southwest event in Austin, Texas. The programme combines music performances, film screenings, television showcases and public discussions featuring figures from politics, technology and entertainment.

The development follows a similar decision by British authorities last month to block the entry of rapper and fashion entrepreneur over previous antisemitic comments. Organisers of the Wireless Festival subsequently cancelled his planned appearances at the event.