American social media personality Hasan Piker should be barred from entering Britain ahead of his scheduled appearances in London next month, Jewish community leaders have said.
Piker, who has more than ten million followers, has repeatedly refused to condemn Hamas, downplayed accounts of sexual assaults committed on October 7 and made offensive remarks about Jews.
He is due to appear in London for a live podcast with news and opinion website UnHerd on June 5 and a talk at music and technology festival SXSW London on June 4.
The Community Security Trust called on the event organisers to reconsider, saying Piker’s record of “promoting rhetoric that includes antisemitic themes, denial of well-documented atrocities and apparent support for extremist groups” was “entirely unacceptable".
The Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) said Piker’s presence in the UK “is not conducive to the public good” and warned that his rhetoric was “dangerous” at a time when British Jews are facing growing hostility, including “a climate where Jews are being stabbed on the streets of London”.
Piker has said Zionists were comparable to “liberal Nazis” and used the term “inbred” to describe strictly-Orthodox Jews and Israelis – for which he later apologised.
In an interview in April 2026, he said he would vote for Hamas over the Jewish state because he viewed it as “less evil”.
Appearing on livestreaming platform Twitch, he said he did not have “a single issue with Hezbollah”, described Houthi actions as a “just” form of “resistance”, and said a pirate acting for the Yemeni militant group was comparable to Anne Frank.
In another stream in April 2025, Piker said any “f***ing Zionist tendency should be treated in the same way as being a f *** ing rabid neo-Nazi”.
Referring to former October 7 hostage Edan Alexander, he said: “Zionism is a mental illness. Holy sh*t. Shame on everyone who said this American dude who volunteered to join the Nazi army was some kind of hero.”
The JLC is calling on the government to use its powers to block Piker from entering the country before the scheduled events.
The Unherd podcast is due to feature Piker in conversation with former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and commentator Wolfgang Münchau.
In promotional material, UnHerd said Varoufakis and Münchau would “challenge Piker on what the ascendency of the online left means for America and the world”.
The calls come days after the government barred seven people from entering the UK ahead of a far-right rally planned in central London.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood withdrew entry permission for seven individuals, including US-based commentator Joey Mannarino and Maga influencer Valentina Gomez, on the grounds that their presence “would not be conducive to the public good”. The group had planned to attend the Unite the Kingdom event on May 16 organised by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
In April, the US rapper Kanye West was banned from entering the UK to headline a music festival following a series of antisemitic remarks, including releasing a song titled Heil Hitler.
Mahmood denied West an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), also stating that his presence would “not be conducive to the public good”.
A JLC spokesperson said: “Hasan Piker should not be allowed to enter the UK to spread his October 7 denialism and apparent support for terrorist organisations to a British audience. In a climate where Jews are being stabbed on the streets of London, this rhetoric is dangerous. This is not conducive to the public good and the government should ban him.”
A spokesperson for the CST added, “Hasan Piker has a record of promoting rhetoric that includes antisemitic themes, denial of well documented atrocities and apparent support for extremist groups. This is entirely unacceptable, particularly given his large online following. At a time of record levels of antisemitism in the UK, it is vital that all institutions, including event organisers, act responsibly and consider the potential impact of this kind of rhetoric. The UK should not be a platform for individuals who spread hatred or legitimise extremism.”
Responding to calls for Piker to be banned from Britain, UnHerd editor Freddie Sayers defended the outlet's record opposing antisemitism, adding: “Our fundamental mission is that, in a functioning democracy, it is always better to have the argument than try to shut it down. On my YouTube show I have interviewed hundreds of guests that I deeply disagree with, and every time I try to push back and find the limits of their arguments.”
He went on: “Hasan Piker is in the UK that week, and Wolfgang Munchau and Yanis Varoufakis of the hit Econoclasts podcast asked him to join a live debate on stage in London — their guests come from all parts of the political spectrum. He has enormous influence and reaches millions of young people on his streams.
“We stand against cancelling people, banning them from entering the country and shutting down public events whether we agree with them or not.”
Piker has been approached for comment.
To get more news, click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.