Conservative commentator Candace Owens has been barred from entering Australia ahead of her planned speaking tour.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Immigration Minister Tony Burke revoked Owens’ visa, citing concerns about her potential to “incite discord.”
“From making controversial remarks regarding the Holocaust and Dr. Josef Mengele to statements alleging that Muslims initiated slavery, Candace Owens poses a risk of inciting discord across multiple areas,” Burke stated. “Australia’s national interest is best served by not admitting her at this time.”
The Anti-Defamation Commission, a pro-Jewish advocacy organization, advocated for the visa denial.
“Australia has no place for those who mock the suffering of genocide survivors and insult the memories of the 6 million Jews who perished,” the group’s chairman Dvir Abramovich told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “This is a line in the sand,” the group’s chair, Dvir Abramovich, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Owen’s speaking tour in Australia was set to kick off in Melbourne on November 17, with tickers ranging from $95 for reserved seating to $1,500 for a VIP package that included a pre-event dinner and a meet-and-greet.
