Why is Hassan Abiy banned from entering the UK? Twitch star claims visa revoked ahead of big show

Hasan Piker found himself at the center of another political storm this weekend after revealing he could no longer enter the UK. The Twitch star, better known online as Hasan Abi, announced the news during a live broadcast, surprising viewers who had been expecting him to travel to the country to attend a series of public events.The development quickly erupted on social media, with supporters and critics alike weighing in. What started as a conversation about travel restrictions quickly evolved into a broader debate about free speech, politics and the growing tensions surrounding international political commentary.

Hassan Abiy says UK visa canceled ahead of planned event

Hasan Abi addressed an audience on May 31, saying he had recently discovered that his UK visa was no longer valid. The anchor said the decision put at risk several commitments he had booked in the country, including appearances with high-profile politicians and a visit to the Oxford Union.He told the audience:“Well, I don’t want to talk about it, but my visa has also been revoked. We’ve just found out. So, yeah, I’m not going as things stand; I don’t believe I’ll be able to go to the UK next week. I don’t know who to contact to sort this out. I should be doing something with Yanis Varoufakis. Doing something with Zac Polanski. Doing something with Jeremy Corbyn. Doing something with the Oxford Union. And then now, the Labor government has revoked our visas.“Soon after, Hassan took to social media to share his frustration that Western governments were straying from the principles they often claim to defend.He wrote:“The UK also revoked my visa. All at the behest of Israel. The West is betraying ‘liberal values’ for a genocidal fascist foreign government. Soon we will all be Israel.”

Hassan Abiy calls UK visa decision a ‘sad state of affairs’

In the same broadcast, Hassan elaborated on his reaction to the visa revocation and criticized what he saw as political double standards.Regarding the current situation, he said:“It’s a sad state of affairs, and obviously, Israel’s interests are the highest priority. ‘But Nick Shirley can go.’ Of course! Because Nick Shirley is a dog of the fascist state.”The anchor then launched into wider criticism of the political leadership in the UK and US, stating:“We’re in the 1930s and I think the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of America, whatever their so-called ideological differences, are absolutely going to go in as single parties and things are going to get worse from now on. Let’s just say… fascism. That’s it. That’s it. Israel is a fascist state that enforces its dictates to other countries in order to comply with the wishes of foreign countries such as Israel. Western liberal democracies should protect and preserve speech, and even if they don’t have a First Amendment like we do in the United States of America, they should have a reason. Like, good reason. This is not one of them. “As of now, no official public statement has been released to explain the reported visa decision. Until more information emerges, the controversy will likely remain a major talking point in the streaming community and online political circles.