What happens to free speech when speaking out against a genocide becomes grounds for exclusion? That question will be at the heart of DiEM25’s upcoming livestream featuring political commentator Hasan Piker and our co-founder Yanis Varoufakis, hosted by Mehran Khalili.
Earlier this week, Piker was barred from entering the United Kingdom after authorities determined that his presence was “not conducive to the public good”. The decision prevented him from participating in events at SXSW London and the Oxford Union. Critics have argued that the move is linked not to any security concern, but to Piker’s outspoken criticism of Israel’s assault on Gaza and his support for Palestinian rights.
The incident echoes a similar experience faced by Varoufakis in 2024, when German authorities imposed a ban connected to a Palestine solidarity conference in Berlin. At the time, Germany’s actions drew international criticism and raised serious concerns about freedom of expression and political dissent in Europe.
In this livestream, Piker and Varoufakis will compare experiences and examine a broader trend emerging across Europe and North America: governments that champion free speech in principle while increasingly restricting voices critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The discussion will explore the shrinking space for political dissent, the growing use of state power to silence pro-Palestinian voices, and what these developments mean for democratic rights more broadly.
As governments claim to defend liberal values while policing political speech, one question becomes increasingly difficult to ignore: if opposing a genocide can get you banned at the border, what remains of free speech?
Join us live and take part in the conversation.
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