YouTube political commentator Cenk Uygur and his nephew, Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, have been blocked from entering the UK. According to Deadline Hollywood, their Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) has been cancelled, forcing them to skip scheduled talks at SXSW London this week.
The pair was set to speak at the festival. No official reason has been given for the ETA cancellation.
Uygur runs The Young Turks, one of YouTube's most-watched political commentary channels. Piker has built a significant following on Twitch. Missing a high-profile festival appearance is a professional setback for both.
The conference kicks off imminently, and the last-minute nature of the cancellation suggests the decision came down to the wire. Whether this is a visa-related issue, a security concern, or something else entirely remains unclear.
