LONDON: The UK has banned two of America’s most prominent left-wing political commentators from entering the country, preventing them from appearing at a string of high-profile events amid a row over their criticism of Israel. Cenk Uygur, host of the online political talk show “The Young Turks,” and Hasan Piker, a popular political streamer on Twitch, were both blocked from appearing at SXSW London — an annual film, media and music festival. Piker has more than 3 million followers on Twitch and 1.5 million on X.

The ban on the left-wing commentators has shocked many across the political spectrum.

The United Kingdom’s Home Office said Piker and Uygur were blocked from entering the country because their presence “may not be conducive to the public good.”