Antisemitic influencer Candace Owens has been denied entry to Australia for her upcoming speaking tour, several Australian news outlets, including ABC News, reported on Sunday. The New Zealand Herald also noted that New Zealand’s Immigration Authority (INZ) is currently reviewing a visa application submitted by Owens following her entry denial in Australia.
The refusal of entry may stem from Owens’ past remarks. In 2021, she suggested that the United States should “invade Australia,” claiming the country had become a “tyrannical Nazi-style police state” due to its COVID-19 public health measures. Owens later stated that her comments were intended as a joke and misrepresented by the media.
Owens had announced her plans for a speaking tour in August and was scheduled to arrive in Australia and New Zealand in November.
Profile of Candace Owens
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) provided a concise overview of Owens’ background as a controversial figure:
Candace Owens is a right-wing political commentator known for promoting antisemitic tropes and anti-Israel rhetoric.
She also espouses conspiracy theories related to the LGBTQ+ community and has downplayed the effects of slavery and racism on the Black community.
Owens gained recognition in 2016-2017 as a supporter of the MAGA movement and a critic of the Black Lives Matter movement.
She built a substantial following while working for Turning Point USA and later for the Daily Wire, a conservative outlet co-founded by Ben Shapiro.
Owens left the Daily Wire amid increasing antisemitic rhetoric and public disagreements with Shapiro.
She has millions of followers across social media platforms, including YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram, in addition to hosting her own podcast.
Following her departure from the Daily Wire, Owens dismissed the prevalence of antisemitism, claiming that those who say “antisemitism is everywhere!” are often racial supremacists.
Controversial Statements
Media Matters reported that Owens criticized Jordan Peterson’s characterization of far-right commentator Nick Fuentes as a “psychopathic rat.” This comment came after Fuentes tweeted that Jews control the Biden administration. Owens suggested that Fuentes’ claim might have some truth, citing the presence of Jewish officials in the administration. She noted, “It seems a weird tweet for [Peterson] to be so disturbed about,” and characterized Fuentes as focused on Israel and Zionism.
Fuentes has praised Owens, asserting that she is engaged in “a full-fledged war against the Jews.” In an interview, Owens inaccurately claimed that Joseph Stalin was Jewish and suggested that Sigmund Freud and Stalinists were part of a Jewish conspiracy, also implying that Freud promoted pedophilia through his psychoanalytic theories.
Immigration Authority Response
Jeannie Melville, deputy chief operating officer of the INZ, stated that Owens had applied for an entertainer’s work visa. Melville explained that the Immigration Act does not prevent individuals from traveling to New Zealand based solely on their previous expressions of opinion. Immigration officials must assess whether a person poses a threat or risk to security, public order, or public interest.
This situation highlights the complexities of free speech and immigration policies in relation to controversial figures. As Owens’ speaking tour faces obstacles, public debate continues regarding the limits of expression and the impact of rhetoric on social harmony.
Related topics:
- What Elon Musk’s Illegal Work Reveals About the Immigration System
- Tree of Life Synagogue Massacre Was Driven by Immigrant Rights Issues
- Report Highlights Importance of Remembering Massachusetts’ Largest Immigrant Group: Brazilians
