SXSW festival slammed for not defending Piker and Uygur after UK ban

SXSW festival slammed for not defending Piker and Uygur after UK ban Submitted by Imran Mulla on Tue, 06/02/2026 - 12:14 Speakers have begun pulling out of the major cultural festival in London, accusing it of not supporting free speech King Charles visits last year's SXSW London on 5 June, 2025 (Screengrab/X) Off The SXSW  London festival has been slammed for failing to defend American political commentators Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker after the British government  banned  them from entering the country to speak at the event. Piker called SXSW "actual fucking losers", and some speakers have dropped out in protest over what they say is SXSW's failure to stand up for free speech. The two were scheduled to speak at the Oxford Union and SXSW London, a major cultural festival. Prominent British politicians have condemned the ban as an attack on free speech, accusing the government of targeting criticism of Israel. While the Oxford Union has condemned the government's decision to ban the two speakers and vowed to allow them to speak over a livestream, SXSW's markedly different response has been widely criticised. SXSW London said in a statement on Monday: "Decisions on entry to the U.K. are a matter for the Home Office and the individuals concerned. SXSW London’s role is to convene a broad range of diverse voices and perspectives." Piker and Uygur were scheduled to speak at SXSW events respectively titled "How the American Left Learned to Speak the Internet" and "Techno-Feudalism is Here. Who Are the Lords?" Responding to SXSW's statement, Piker said  on X: "sxsw was a minor part of my trip to the uk, they totally didn’t defend me or cenk at a...

Original source: Middle East Eye